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* ^ '•***- ■— - 







GOLDSMITH MAID, WITH TRACK HARNESS. 




























































THE 


HARNESS MAKERS’ 


ILLUSTRATED 


MANUAL 


SECOND EDITION. 


A PRACTICAL GUIDE BOOK FOR MANUFACTURERS AND MAKERS 
OF HARNESS, PADS, GIG SADDLES, ETC , 


CONTAINING 


DIRECTIONS FOR SELECTING, CUTTING, AND PREPARING 
LEATHER; TABLES OF LENGTHS AND WIDTHS FOR 
CUTTING TRACK, SINGLE AND DOUBLE ROAD, 
COUPE, COACH, EXPRESS, TEAM AND FARM 
HARNESS, HALTERS, HORSE BOOTS, ETC.; 

RECIPES POR PREPARING- BLACKINGS, STAINS, OILS, 
AND LEATHER VARNISHES; 

HINTS ON RENOVATING AND REPAIRING HARNESS; 

NOTES ON HARNESS MOUNTINGS, with DESCRIPTIONS AND 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE MOST POPULAR 
STYLES AND KINDS. 

ADAPTED TO THE OFFICE AND THE WORKSHOP. 


BY 


W/N. FITZ-GERALD 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1880, 

By Wm. N. Fitz-Gkkald, 

the Office ot the Obrarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C, 




CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER I. 


HARNESS LEATHER. 


PAGE 

The peculiar Characteristics of Leather—Test by which 
the Quality may be determined—Effect of strong Acids in 
Coloring—Impure Oils—Kinds of Harness Leather—Oak, 
Hemlock, and Union Tanned; the Nature of each—Hides 
suitable for making Harness Leather—Causes of ‘Gum, 
Spew, or Fry”—The Effect of Dampness—Weights to be 
selected for all Kinds of Harness—Grain Leather for Folds.. 21 


CHAPTER II. 

RUSSET LEATHER. 

Selecting Rein Leather—Stains—Comparative Value of 
good and poor Stock—Hand Part Leather—Gra ; ning in 
the Workshop—Buff Leather—Loop Leather—The Neces¬ 
sity of a Mellow Grain ; uniform Thickness unimportant— 
Buying Leather—Weight Stock—Unreliability of the rough 
Brand—Backs—Cropping—Trimmed Stock. 33 


CHAPTER III. 

PATENT LEATHER. 

Glazed Leather—The Uses to which it is put—Quality of 
Hides—Splits, how designated—The Effect of Splitting 
upon the Grain—Varnishing, Drying, and Finishing— 
Enamel Leather—Texture, Color, and Finish—Stretching 





IO 


CONTENTS. 


PACE 

Leather injurious to the Fibre—Care of Patent Leather— 
When the best Leather is made—July and August unfavor¬ 
able months. 4° 


CHAPTER IV. 

CUTTING HARNESS. 

How to cut to avoid Waste—Value of Scraps—The 
Responsibility of the Cutter—Illustration of a Side of 
Weight Stock—Directions for Cutting—Dividing the Side 
to the best Advantage—Objections to the Splitting Ma¬ 
chine—Cutting a Harness from one Side—Illustration of a 
trimmed Side—Weight—Details for Cutting the different 
Straps.... 45 


CHAPTER V. 

PREPARING THE LEATHER FOR THE FITTER. 

Wetting the Stock—Drying—How long to soak—Test¬ 
ing Strap—Trimming the Flesh Side—Applying Tallow— 
Straps not to be disturbed until the Water has dried out— 
Cleaning and Slicking—The Effect of recurrying—Black¬ 
ing Leather for a Single-Strap Harness—Wetting common 
Stock. 58 


CHAPTER VI. 

MEASURING FOR HARNESS. 

Lack of System—Result of improper Lengths—Length 
of Hame Tugs—Lengths adopted by prominent Manufac¬ 
turers—Harness for Horses of different Sizes—Lengths 
governed by Localities. 58 


CHAPTER VII. 

TABLES OF LENGTHS. 

No. i. Single-Strap Track Harness—No. 2. Single Road 
Harness—No. 3. Single Harness (Breast Collar)—No. 4. 
Single Harness (Hame Collar)—N q. 5. Heavy Coupe Har- 







CONTENTS. 


II 


O PAGE 

^ ness—No. 6. Double Road Harness—No. 7. Short Tug 
'l Coach Harness—No. 8. Long Tug Coach Harness—No. 9. 

• English Four-in-Hand—No. 10. Tandem—No. 11. Single 
! Express—No. 12. Heavy Express—No. 13. Long Tug 
Team Harness—No. 14. Long Tug Farm Harness—No. 15. 
Wagon Harness with adjustable Trees—No. 16. Adjustable 
Pad Double Harness—No. 17. Pennsylvania Wagon Har- 
ness—No. 18. Stage Harness—No. 19. Bitting Harness— 

No. 20. Cart Harness—No. 21. Mule Harness—No. 22. 
t Short Tug Butt Chain Harness—Trimmings for Carriage 

( Harness... 64 

1 


CHAPTER VIII. 

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR SINGLE HARNESS. 


Result of Neglect in learning the Trade—Want of System— 
Importance of the Fitter and Stitcher working in Unison— 

) Wetting the Stock—Skiving and slicking the Straps—Fitting 
up the Shaft Tugs, Docks, and Winker Brace—Finishing the 
Edges—Prepared Tallow—Gum Tragacarth—Cutting and 
preparing the Patent Leather—Finishing up Rounds—Mak¬ 
ing Docks—Importance of good Patterns—How to prepare 
the Patterns. 112 


CHAPTER IX. 


MAKING SINGLE-STRAP TRACK HARNESS. 

Its Origin—Skill required in making up—How to attain 
the best Results—Steer Hides the best.—Weight of Side re¬ 
quired—Sectional Drawings—Safety Strap—Half Kemble 
Jackson check. 


CHAPTER X. 

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. 

Mistaken Ideas regarding Team Harness—Selecting 
Stock—Weights to be used—General Directions for cutting 
and fitting—Pads—Filling Folds—Bridles, the Importance 
of proper Proportions—Lines, Lengths—Mountings, the Im- 







12 


CONTENTS. 


TAGE 

portance of Strength—Stitching to be done with white 
Thread—Coarse stitching the strongest—Fitting and stitch¬ 
ing Traces—Final Finish—Heavy ornamental Truck Har¬ 
ness—Bridles, Coach Style—Wheel Harness without Pads— 
Traces and Safes, how cut—Lead Harness—Loin Straps— 
Mountings—Collars. 123 


CHAPTER XI. 

MAKING GIG SADDLES. 

Cleaning and treeing up the Tree—Preparing the Seat 
Leather—Preparing the Frame—Making Jockeys—Flopping 
off—Making Loops—Cutting and fitting Points—Back 
Bands—Quality of Leather—Making the Pads—Stuffing— 
Materials used—Changing Shape of Patterns. 141 


CHAPTER XII. 

PADS FOR COACH AND TEAM HARNESS. 

Improvements—Patent Pads—Directions for making 
Coach Pads—Socket Piece, how to cut—Fitting up—Cut¬ 
ting Felt for the Pad—Stitching, etc—Hair-stuffed Pads— 
Directions for making—Soft Pad illustrated—Cutting Tops 
and Sides—Hard Pad, Directions for making—Illustrated— 
Plain Pads, Directions for making. . 


CHAPTER XIII. 

MAKING HARNESS LOOPS. 

Kinds of Loops in use—Patent Loops, how made—Ad¬ 
vantages of hand-made Loops—Selecting Stock—Wetting 
the Leather—Fullness necessary—Creasing—Back Clamp 
Iron—Working up Sides before creasing—Coloring and 
finishing—Pressed Loops, stitching on—IIow they are 
made—Time needed to press—Variety of Patterns—How 
cheap Harness are improved by their use. 161 






CONTENTS. 


13 


l|) 

,\ 

\ 

‘t 

■i 


% 

I 

i_ * 
*( 

t 

ii 

i 


CHAPTER XIV. 


STITCHING HARNESS. 


PAGE 

The End to be attained—Thread, Size and Number of 
Strands—White Thread the strongest—Making up the 
Thread—Waxing before twisting—The Kind of Wax for 
specific Purposes—Importance of Care in Stitching—How 
the Stitches are laid—Irregularity produced by not drawing 
the Threads evenly—To cause both Sides to appear alike— 
Points to be observed. 16S 


CHAPTER XV. 

MAKING ROUND REINS. 


Good Stock a Necessity—Directions for Cutting—Damp* 
ening the Leather—Making the Stop—Marking off for the 
Billet—Filling up and rounding—Board Iron, how made— 
Rounding and trimming—Stain, how made—Advantage of 
using Shellac—Rein Ends, illustrated. 175 


CHAPTER XVI. 


COACH AND WAGON BRIDLES. 

The most ornate Part of the Harness—Winkers, Style 
and Finish—“ Hinging”—English Coach Bridle Cuttings— 
Illustrations of various Styles of Bridles—Crown Pieces.... 1S3 


CHAPTER XVII. 

RIDING BRIDLES. 

Uniformity of Style—How they are named—Cuttings for 
various Kinds—Illustration—Leather used—English Rus¬ 
set—Buff Leather—Stitching not used for ornamenting. 196 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

HALTERS. 

The Varieties—United States Government Halter—Span¬ 
ish Halter—French Halter—Training Halter—Bitting 
Halter—Stable Halter—Yankee Halter—Double Cheek 





14 


CONTENTS. 


Halter—Slip Halter—Team Halter—Cuttings and Illustra¬ 
tions. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

HORSE BOOTS. 

Success in making Knee, Shin, Ankle, and Combination 
Boots—Directions for making—Illustrations for Weights— 
How made—Illustrations. 

CHAPTER XX. 

HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 

Classes and Styles—Plated, close and electro—Grades of 
Silver for Close Plate—How to determine the Quality—Elec¬ 
tro Plate less durable, but cheaper—Tarnishing not an 
Evidence of Impurity—Gold Plate—Nickel—Its Color and 
Advantages—Brass not popular—Oroide, its Color—Not de¬ 
sirable except as a Base for Gilding—Aluminum the most 
expensive Metal—German Silver, its superiority as a white 
Metal—Covered Mountings—Leather and Composition- 
Leather used—Liability to rip—Improvements made—Rub¬ 
ber-covered—When patented—Description of Process of 
Manufacture—Celluloid-covered—Description of Manufac¬ 
ture—Tinned—XC Plate—Japanned—Patented Styles—Il¬ 
lustrations of Terrets, Hooks, etc. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

BUCKLES. 

Patent Trace—Harness—Trace—Collar—Center Bar- 
Popular Styles—Illustrations. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

BITS AND BITTING HARNESS. 

Brutal Devices—Popular Styles—Snaffle—Dexter—Hano¬ 
verian—Half Cheek Trotting Snaffle—Metals used—Steel 
not desirable—Unreliability of Malleable Iron—System of 
numbering—How designated—Illustrations—Bitting Har- 


PAGR 

20j 


224 


249 


271 








CONTENTS. 


15 


^ PAGE 

\ ness—Wooden Jockey, illustrated—Patent Jockey, illus- 
trated. 281 

f 
t 


) 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

REPAIRING HARNESS. 

As important as making new Stock—False Directions— 
Cleaning the Leather an important Consideration—When to 
repair—Cleaning the Surface before oiling—How to soften 
old Leather—Pure Neat’s-foot Oil the best—Castor Oil, its 
qualities—Tallow the only reliable Grease—How to apply 
Grease—Gum, how to remove it—Patent Leather—Varnish 
only will restore the Lustre—How to clean. 290 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

CARE OF HARNESS IN THE FACTORY AND STABLE. 

Durability dependent upon Treatment—Consumers not 
acquainted with the Peculiarities of Stock—The great 
Destroyer—Care of Harness in Stock—White Mold—Im¬ 
portance of removing it immediately—Cleaning Mountings— 
Pegs for hanging Harness—Daub, how made—How to keep 
Russet Strapping—The Manufacturer’s duty to his Cus¬ 
tomers—Directions for the Care of Harness in the Stable— 
Mountings not to be scoured—How to clean. 296 

CHAPTER XXV. 

LEATHER BLACKING. 

Stains, Varnishes, and Polishes. 302 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

RECIPES. 

Miscellaneous Recipes for the Workshop and Harness- 
Room. 3 1 ? 












PLATES. 


INDEX OF 

Goldsmith Maid, Track Harness.Frontispiece. 

PAGE 

Double Road Harness. 20 

Coupe Harness. 33 

Phaeton Harness.;. 53 

Coach Harness. . . 61 

Breast Collar, Single Harness. 113 

Hame Collar, Single Harness. 122 

Team Harness. 129 

Heavy Draft Harness. 137 

Georgia Wagon Harness . 161 













PREFACE. 


This book originated from a desire to furnish 
harness makers with a condensed practical guide 
suited to the workshop, office, salesroom, and 
stable. It treats of leather as furnished to the 
harness maker by the currier, its texture, strength, 
adaptability for specific uses; how to cut, fit, and 
finish ; measuring for harness ; complete tables 
for lengths and widths for cutting the various 
classes in use, whether for the carriage, farm, or 
road; bridles, halters, horse-boots, mountings, 
bits, etc. 

The illustrations represent standard styles and 
kinds of articles used by the trade, and guides 
for making up. 

In the hints on repairing and caring for harness, 
a large amount of information is furnished the 
manufacturer and consumer, in a condensed form. 
The recipes for blacks, stains, varnishes, polishes, 
etc., have been tested and found reliable ; the 
whole making a methodical manual indispensable 
to the progressive harness maker, and useful to 
every horse owner or other person interested in 
harness or saddlery. It is the only book of the 




i8 


PREFACE. 


kind published in the English language, and sup¬ 
plies a much-needed want. Every care has been 
taken to present the subjects treated on in the 
plainest manner, and to avoid errors. The 
author confidently believes that benefit will re¬ 
sult from following the instructions given, and 
the standard of harness making be elevated. 
Should this anticipation be realized, the time 
spent in its preparation will be compensated for. 


INTRODUCTION. 


X 


i 

c ( The manufacture of saddlery and harness, ex- 
delusive of all collateral branches, stands thirty- 
. fourth in magnitude out of the two hundred and 
fifty-eight specified industries tabulated in the 
census report of 1870. At that time there were 
^in the United States 7,607 saddle^ and harness 
^establishments, giving employment to 23,557 
' Workmen; all but 841 were males above 16 years 
Jof age; employing a capital of $13,935,961 ; pay- 
ring in wages $7,046,207; for materials, $16,068,- 
J310; and producing goods to the value of $32,- 
709,981. Missouri stands first in the list in value 
of products, but fifth in the number of workmen 
employed, and second in the wages paid. New- 
York stands second in value of products, first in 
every other particular. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illi- 
i nois, and New-Jersey are next in order. 

By the total figures it will be seen that the av¬ 
erage Avages of the Avorkmen is about $299 a year, 
t being $78 beloAv the average for the Avhole coun- 
? try in 1870, and $10 above the average of i860. 

There are but eleven branches of industry in 
7 Avhich the number of establishments exceeds those 



20 


INTRODUCTION. 


of saddlery and harness, and in view of this fact, 
the average rate of wages is remarkably good. 
The harness-maker is called upon to supply har¬ 
ness, saddlery, etc., for 7,145,370 horses, 1,125,415 
mules and asses, a total of 8,270,785 animals; yet 
the total value of products of a year show but $4 
a head for each animal—a figure disproportion¬ 
ately small, and one which explains, in part at 
least, why the trade is less prosperous than it 
should be. Were it a business which required 
the investment of a large capital, the case would 
be different; but as it is, the investment of a few 
hundred dollars enables a man to engage in a 
small business which returns him a moderate liv¬ 
ing, but one that might be lucrative if conducted 
in a proper manner. The harness maker supplies 
an article of absolute necessity, and there is no 
excuse for his placing his prices below fair busi- 
ness rates. If each man in the business would l 
properly estimate the cost of every article, and l 
add thereto a fair percentage of profit, fhere 
would be less complaints as to the unprofitable¬ 
ness of the harness trade. In preparing this 
manual the author has aimed to give information 
of a practical character to the trade, which will 
enable those engaged in it to conduct the work¬ 
shop in a systematic manner. If this end is ac¬ 
complished, it will be one important step toward 
making the business a profitable and pleasant 
one. 











DOUBLE ROAD HARNESS. 































































































































THE 


HARNESS-MAKERS’ 

ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


CHAPTER I. 

HARNESS LEATHER. 

B EFORE entering upon details respecting the 
practical work of the harness-maker, 1 shall 
give some general directions regarding the vari¬ 
ous kinds of leather used, its adaptation to speci¬ 
fic grades and patterns of harness, together with 
such other details as may serve to assist the man¬ 
ufacturer in selecting his stock. 

The familiar adage, “ There is nothing like 
leather," is an old one, and it is true in more 
senses than one. In the first place, leather is 
an article of such peculiar structure that those 
who have spent a lifetime in working it can not 
give any reliable rules by which an inex¬ 
perienced person may judge to a certainty of 
its quality. The grain may be fine, close, and to 
the eye all that can be desired, the flesh side 




2 2 THE HARNESS-MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


smooth, of good color, and finely finished, and yet 
the quality be such as to condemn it as soon as 
it gets into the hands of the workman. On the 
other hand, the grain may be coarse and the 
flesh side badly cleaned, and yet, for actual 
wear, it may be of good quality. The hides from 
which it was made may have been taken from 
old or poorly fed cattle, insufficiently tanned, 
badly curried with cheap oil and tallow, stuffed 
to weigh heavy, blacked with strong acids, which g 
have passed through the grain and rendered it f 
hard and brittle, of uneven thickness, the shoul- I 
ders thin and unfit for general use ; all of which 
faults are of a serious nature, and yet a long ex- f 
perience, by which the eye and touch are so 
educated as to. detect almost by intuition defects 
other than the most prominent, is the only safe r 
and reliable guide as to the actual merits of the 
leather. I 

There are, however, a few leading tests which 1 
assist in the acquiring of the needful experience, % 
The character of the hide before it was tanned | 
may be ascertained, in most cases, by close ex- 1 
animation. It is a well-known fact that cattle f 
raised in certain sections of the country produce f 
much finer grained hides, possessing in a greater f 
degree the firm, elastic nature necessary for the J 
production of harness leather, than those raised | 
in other sections. If the hide has been taken 
from an old and poor animal, the grain will be 
coarse, uneven, and irregular, the neck hard and 
rough, the flanks thick and flabby, and the 


HARNESS LEATHER. 


23 


shoulders and hips thin and baggy ; if from a 
young, well-kept animal, the grain will in most 
rases be fine, close, and even, the flesh side 
smooth and of a good color, and the whole side 
>f nearly uniform thickness. Grub-holes are a 
ure indication of poor hides, but, as they can be 
,0 easily detected, it is unnecessary to caution 
Duyers to avoid all having these defects. Short 
annage is a very common fault, but it is one that 
:an be detected by cutting a strip from the hide 
and wetting the freshly-cut edge with the 
tongue: if the color is uniform throughout, 
and the cut edge presents a smooth and glassy 
appearance, instead of being covered with fine 
fibres, the tannage is good. If, on the other 
hand, the cut edge presents a fuzzy appearance, 
feels harsh and rough when dry, and shows a 
white or light-colored strip through the centre 
when wet, it is insufficiently tanned, and the 
wider this light strip the poorer is the tannage. 

It frequently happens that leather which has 
been well tanned is injured in the currying, and 
it is much more difficult to detect faults arising 
from this source than those due to short tan¬ 
nages. The grain may have been injured while 
being tanned, but it is just as liable to injury 
from the use of strong acid blacks, which, while 
giving it a deep black color, cause it to become 
hard and brittle. The best and most reliable 
test for detecting this fault is to bend a narrow 
strip, flesh sides together, and close it down be¬ 
tween the teeth ; if the grain is hard and brittle, 


24 the harness-makers’ illustrated manual, 

it will surely break off short, so as to show the 
natural color of the leather underneath. If, how¬ 
ever, the leather is extra heavy, this test will be 
likely to rupture the grain, whether the quality 
be good or bad ; but if good, it will have the ap¬ 
pearance of having been torn asunder instead 
of broken off short. If the hard grain has been 
produced by strong acids, which have burned it, 
a freshly-cut edge will show to what depth they 
have penetrated, and there will be black streaks 
well down into the fibres below the grain. The 
use of impure oils or grease is also a source of 
much annoyance, it being very difficult, in fact 
almost impossible, to detect the fault until after 
the harness has been made up and exposed for a 
time in the show-case, when the tell-tale gum- 
spots will appear on the surface, exposing the 
fraud, though not until the manufacturer has suf¬ 
fered much loss by the depreciation in the value 
of his harness. It sometimes happens that these , 
gum-spots will appear upon the grain before the ' 
side has been cut. When this is the case the j 
leather may be treated as we have directed in f 
Chapter V., and future gumming will be pre¬ 
vented. 

These points seem to assist in the detection of 
the above-mentioned faults, but they can not be f 
relied upon under all circumstances ; frequent 
handling and close observation will alone give 
the eye and touch the training necessary for the 
intelligent selection of the different qualities. 
Good leather, in the language of one of the best 


HARNESS LEATHER. 


2 5 


nown and most experienced men in the harness- 
father trade, should be “ solid, but not hard ; 
lellow, but not soft ”—qualities that can not be 
xplained, but which can be detected instantly 
y one who has the requisite experience. In 
lis country there are three kinds of leather em- 
loyed by harness-makers—namely, oak, hem- 
3ck, and union (oak and hemlock) tanned, all of 
^hich are used to a considerable extent. All 
ther conditions being equal, however, oak-tan- 
led leather is by far the best. It is firmer, but 
not so hard as hemlock, the fibre is finer and 
more dense, and, as a natural result, is not so 
easily affected by water; it also works up finer, 
takes a much better finish, is more easily worked, 
and possesses more of the qualities indispensable 
to the production of good harness—strength and 
pliability—than any other tannage. Hemlock 
leather is harder; of a dark red color, which 
greatly interferes with its taking a good black, 
and also causes the latter to assume a dingy 
brown appearance on exposure to the elements ; 
the grain is more open and appears coarser; it 
wets up quickly, and does not dry out as soft as 
does oak leather; it is harder to stitch, and is in¬ 
ferior in strength, particularly when the strap is 
placed in a position where the strain comes 
on a short bend or on the edge. It is also much 
heavier. A side of hemlock will weigh from* 
eight to ten per cent more than a side of 
oak leather of equal spread and thickness, 
a difference that makes up for the margin in 


26 THE HARNESS-MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

price between the two kinds. “ Union” leathei 
is either tanned with mixed oak and hemlocl 
liquors, or first tanned with hemlock, and after¬ 
wards retanned with oak, the latter operation 
giving it a much lighter color than it originalb 
possessed ; in some cases the color on the flesl 
side being so light as to deceive the buyer wh( 
is unacquainted with this kind of leather. Tin 
grain is close and, as a rule, finer than either 
oak or hemlock, but for harness this leather if 
inferior to oak in every respect, and but a little 
better than hemlock. It weighs nearly as heavy 
as the latter, and possesses no qualities that 
recommend it to the buyer who desires good 
stock. 

In some sections of the country, hemlock 
leather is made with much care, the hides being 
closely selected, well tanned, and curried with 
the best oil and grease. Prepared in this man¬ 
ner, it gives satisfaction when not brought into 
direct competition with oak-tanned stock; but,, 
no matter how much care may have been ex-f 
ercised, it is inferior to oak-tanned leather with 
which the same pains have been taken, and there 
is but one condition under which it should re¬ 
ceive the preference, and that is when the choice 
lies between inferior oak and superior hemlock. | 

The following general advice may be of value ' 
to harness-makers and manufacturers of harness 
leather. Select hides of young steers or heifers 
which were in the best condition when killed: 
they only possess the requisites of fineness ofgrain, 


HARNESS LEATHER. 


27 


iniformity of thickness, and strength of fibre. 
\ cow or builock hide is entirely unfitted for 
his kind of leather; the butt of the former is Ha¬ 
ile to be thick and the shoulder thin, while the 
atter will be thick at the head and belly, thin 
md soft at the butt. Having found such a hide, 
examine it further and see that it has not been 
damaged by scratches. These, though apparent¬ 
ly simple, are very injurious, as they can not be 
entirely removed, and will show upon the grain 
as soon as the leather is dampened by the work¬ 
men. See that there are no warble or grub holes 
along the back. These are not likely to be found 
in hides taken from cattle that are killed in the 
jummer or fall. Next ascertain whether the hide 
has been damaged by the butcher or not. If it 
has been cut, it should never be used for harness 
deather. Length is an important consideration, 
and many hides are seriously damaged in this 
respect by the butcher having cut the animal’s 
throat from ear to ear, thus shortening the hide 
by severing the cheeks from the body. 

Tanning, though not a portion of the harness- 
maker’s business, should be understood by him 
so far as to enable him to distinguish between the 
various products. Oak-tanned is superior to any 
other now in use because of its being tougher 
and more pliable ; but even oak-tanned may not 
be good. There are two general methods of 
tanning: one the sole leather, by which the lea¬ 
ther is made firm and hard ; the other the upper 
leather, by which the leather is made pliable and 


28 TIIE harness-makers' illustrated manual. 

tough. By the first method greater weight 
secured, but the quality is unsuited to the use 
the harness-maker. Some tanners follow tl. 
former method in part, and thereby secure, 
greater weight, but they can not produce a goc 
quality. This leather can be detected whi 
working it by its hard, sole-leather-like characte 
It does not work well in rounds, or when bein 
raised, and is more likely to break when subjecte- 
to a sudden strain. 

In addition to these features of tanning 
there is what is known as the short-tannec 
this leather coiling like a piece of tin, and whe 
cut it shows a pale streak through the ce^ 
tre. Then there is the limy leather, with a loo? 
wrinkled grain, or puffed up beyond its propt 
thickness, which will, upon being worked, stretc 
and fall away to its natural substance. There i 
also the black-oak tannage. This leather show 
a greenish-yellow appearance in spots upc 
the flesh side. It is soft, and possesses les' 
strength than white-oak leather. Well-tannec 
leather is too often injured in being curried; th 
use of poor oils and grease causes the “gum, 

“ spew,” or “ fry,” as it is known in different lo¬ 
calities ; if properly curried with good oils, thu / 
pe£t of the harness-maker will not appear. Leath-j 
er that has been well curried will possess a sur-, 
face free from roughness or wrinkles, and will be 
smooth and silky to the touch. 

The buyer, therefore, should insist upon the sell¬ 
er furnishing him with hides such as have been 


HARNESS LEATHER. 


2 9 


ccommended, reasonably free from scratches, 
^arble or grub holes, or cuts by the butcher, of 
ne, mellow tannage, and curried in the best man- 
erwith pure oil and grease. Perfection is not to 
e expected ; the harness-maker should aim to 
ecure leather possessing the minimum of defects, 
lard leather is sometimes made to feel mellow 
nd to appear tough by being moistened by the 
urrier. The dampness may be detected by plac- 
ng the palm of the hand upon the thickest part 
}f the side. Such leather shrinks in weight, and 
proves a poor purchase to the buyer. 

Next in importance to the procuring of a good 
uality of leather is the selection of that which 
assesses the requisite weight and strength for 
he kinds of harness designed to be made, and the 
^articular parts for which it is intended. 

So well is this understood by leading harness- 
nanufacturers who make up full lines, that they 
lever cut a harness from a single side, but select 
the leather carefully and use a specific grade or 
weight for each particular strap ; while the lead¬ 
ing custom manufacturers purchase or cut only 
backs of the best quality. The great majority, 
however, buy their leather in small quantities, and 
by so doing commit the error of not procuring 
a proper assortment. As a rule, they select the 
weight best adapted to the greater portion of 
their work, and when lighter stock is needed they 
resort to the splitting-machine, entailing on them¬ 
selves extra labor, and wasting no inconsiderable 
amount of leather, besides materially weakening 


30 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

the straps thus manipulated, as the portion of tl } 
flesh side which is removed is the strongest pa | 
of the stock. I 

If extra heavy straps are needed, three thic' 7 
nesses of leather are used, which in most cas< 
calls for the use of the splitting-machine 1i 
prevent overweight, whereby further loss < 
incurred. If, instead of following this course 
they would assort the sides so as to provide* 
themselves with a full line of weights, froi ; 
six to twenty pounds a side, they would at 
times possess leather adapted to every requiremenc 
except the heaviest truck-harness, which calls ;he. 
t*he heavier grades. Light weights are need*'©] 
for bridles, no matter what kind of harness is >? 
be made, and, as a rule, sides weighing fourteen 
pounds and under can be cut to good advantage 
for this purpose. Traces, back-bands, and breed j 
ing-straps require heavier leather, and hides suiv 
able for these particular straps should always 
kept on hand. A few years’ experience will ena> ' 
ble any man to determine the proper weights and« 
proportions for his line of business, and he can 
procure assorted stock just as easily as he can f 
any single weight. > 

Light road-harness of the best quality, whether- 
single or double, is made up of two thicknesses■? 
and stitched throughout. The leather used ■ 
should be of the finest quality of light weights,’ 
ranging from fourteen to sixteen pounds to the 
side for the harness proper, and eight to twelve • 
pounds for the bridles, these weights being better i 


HARNESS LEATHER. 


3 1 


acapted to this class of harness than the heavier 
grades that need to be split in order to reduce 
th em to the required thickness. The grain is gen¬ 
erally fine and the fibre strong; it fits up well, 
retains its shape, and finishes smooth and soft. 

The track-harness, which is now one of the most 
popular styles in use for trotting-horses, is made up 
of single straps throughout, excepting the back- 
bands. The leather best adapted to this style is 
that made from fine-grained, young hides, the 
weight being about sixteen pounds to the side 
for all but the bodies ; these, being also single, 
sh ould be of a lighter weight, or they will have 
to be skived off on the under side to prevent the 
ediVes curling up. For bridles, the same weight 
should be used as for light road-harness. 

The medium grade of light single harness is ge¬ 
nerally made up with single straps and lined 
points. For this style a heavier leather is required, 
ex cept for the bridle, in order to obtain the requi¬ 
site firmness and strength, the best weight being 
fr om sixteen to eighteen pounds to the side. 
'I hese weights also answer well for all grades of 
ngle or double harness up to those requiring 
le and one quarter inch traces, though it is bet- 
;r to use heavier weights for traces, hold-backs, 
nd back-bands. 

For light coach-harness, the best weight is 
bout eighteen pounds to a side ; but if extra 
eavy traces are used, it is better to select _lea^ 
ler sufficiently heavy to allow of th 
lent of only two thicknesses 


32 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


the necessity of a filling-in piece. If the latter 
is used, it should be of quite light leather. 

Coach and coupe harness require heavy weights, 
particularly for traces, hold-backs, back-bancs, 
and breeching-straps ; for all other straps, except¬ 
ing bridles, eighteen to twenty pounds to a side 
are good weights, but the latter should be made 
from sides weighing about fourteen pounds. 

Light express-harness, being made up of single 
straps, requires the use of sides weighing from 
eighteen to twenty pounds each ; the bridled, 
however, should be made from stock of about th e 
same weights as that used for coach-harness. 
These weights also answer well for farm and 
the lighter grades of team harness, while hea vv 
truck and cart harness requires the use of t he 
heaviest grades of leather in the market. Tme 
above weights are those of the average spread of 
oak-tanned sides; extra large or small hides, 
or those tanned with hemlock, may be gauged by 
these. \ 

Grain leather is much used for folds, and, as 'a 
rule, the bellies, or at least the lower portion's 
of trimmed hides, answer well for this pur 
pose; though the finest, for coach and light hai 
ness, is made from sides weighing sixteen pound 
or under, while for team and truck harness : 
heavier grade is required. 





« 




























♦ 





















% 




















COUPE HARNESS 



























































CHAPTER II. 

RUSSET LEATHER. 


T N selecting rein leather, the same tests as to 
J- quality should be employed as with harness 
leather, as it is in every respect the same with 
the exception that, instead of being colored black, 
it is bleached, and afterwards stained brown or 
some other color. The latest freak of fashion is 
to bleach it quite light and then color it with a 
yellowish-brown stain, so as to produce what is 
known as cuir-color, a very light, almost imper¬ 
ceptible brown ; in fact, the shade is nearer to the 
natural color of fine oak-tanned leather than any 
thing else, and the stain used is more for the pur¬ 
pose of producing a uniform shade than establish¬ 
ing a new color. When this color is employed, 
very little stain is needed on the edges of straps 
to bring them up to the same shade as the grain ; 
and where it can be done, the harness-maker will 
find it to his advantage to procure of the leather- 
manufacturer the same kind of stain as is used to 
color the grain, the beauty of a russet rein de¬ 
pending quite as much upon its uniformity of 
color as upon its make. The brown and yellow 
stains can be made very easily, but those used to 
produce the soft, fine shades are part of the lea- 


34 THE harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 


ther-manufacturer’s stock-in-trade, and their pre¬ 
paration is kept a secret, at least until fashion has 
adopted some new color as the favorite. 

In selecting rein leather, it is bad policy tc 
choose any thing but the best quality. Poor leather 
works harder, does not keep its shape as well, and 
takes a less uniform shade when stained, particu¬ 
larly when it is short-tanned, as the untanned 
centre presents a darker shade than the portion 
that is well filled with bark. Then, too, if the 
grain is hard it is liable to crack while being 
made up, or upon being bent while in use. A 
pair of russet reinswill contain about one pound 
of leather, and the trifling difference in the cost 
between the highest and lowest priced stock 
should not be sufficient inducement to the harness- 
maker to jeopardize the lives of his customers by 
the use of inferior, unsafe reins. 

Hand-part leather, like that for the reins, shoulc 
be of the very best quality, and all the tests tha- 
are applied to other kinds are equally effectur 
for this, while it should also be soft and pliant. 1 
is customary among harness-makers who use but 
a small amount of rein-leather to cut their folds 
for hand parts from the same side as they do the 
rounds. 

This is a mistake, entailing additional cost with¬ 
out the gain of a single advantage. Rein leather 
in most cases is too heavy for folds, and must be 
split to reduce it to the proper thickness. This 
process removes some of the strongest portion of 
the leather, besides occupying the time of the 


RUSSET LEATHER. 


35 

workman. A cheaper and much better plan is to 
procure hand-part leather that has been made ex¬ 
pressly for the purpose. It is of lighter weight, 
much stronger in proportion to its thickness, 
and, when cut to the proper width, is ready 
for the Workman to make up. For flat hand 
parts the leather should be equally as heavy 
as that used for the rounds; it can be cut from 
the same sides as the rounds if desired, but, as 
it is generally too hard, the workman is compelled 
to resort to some method of softening it, such 
as pulling it around a post, rolling and work- 
ing, etc. For flat hand parts, grained leather is 
quite popular, and looks well. 

When the harness-maker can not readily pro¬ 
cure this, he can obtain very nice grained hand 
parts by boarding or breaking the grain in the 
same manner as is done by the curriers, as fol¬ 
lows : cut a piece of leather from the side, of the 
full width needed for two pairs of hand parts, as 
a piece of the requisite width for one pair would 
be too narrow to work well; lay the strip on a 
table, the grain side up, and with a board, such as 
is used by curriers, crease the grain, commencing 
at the front corner on one end, and giving the 
leather a half roll diagonally across the strip, con¬ 
tinuing to work it at the same angle until the 
other end is reached; then commence at the front 
corner of the other end, and board it at the same 
angle as the first, until the end is reached where 
the work was begun. By this means, the creases 
in the grain will cross each other and form the dis- 


36 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

tinctive feature from which the leather gets its 
name. The fineness of the graining depends 
upon the amount of labor applied. In a little time 
the workman will acquire all the experience ne¬ 
cessary for the production of a fine, even grain. 

To the harness-maker using but little of this 
kind of hand-part leather, graining in this man¬ 
ner is a matter of economy. The labor needed 
to produce the desired surface does even more 
than this, as it breaks down and softens the leath¬ 
er, making it as pliant as can be desired. 

Buff leather is also much used for hand parts. 
It is made of the same quality of stock as the 
other kinds, but is not stained, the grain being 
buffed by the currier to remove the gloss and 
give it a white, furri<fd appearance. It is a soft, 
pliant leather, and is one of the best kinds in use 
for hand parts, as, in addition to its softness and 
good appearance, it will not soil the most delicate 
fabrics. 

Another light-colored leather, and one a good 
quality of which it is difficult to procure, is that 
known as loop leather. This, unlike the kinds 
before mentioned, is not curried with oil, or at 
least the quantity of grease of any kind employed 
is very small. It must be solid, and yet possess a 
mellow grain that will readily take a crease and re¬ 
tain it. If in creasing up the work, one mark wheri^ 
placed in close proximity to another obliterates it,! 
or decreases its depth in the least, a good piece of\ 
work can not be made, and only by the exercise 
of the greatest care can even an ordinary job be 


BUYING LEATHER. 


37 


produced. If, however, the grain is mellow, each 
impression made by the creaser becomes perma¬ 
nently set, and the adjoining one, no matter how 
near it may be, is equally well defined. For this 
reason, in selecting a side, make good tannage, 
mellow grain, and a solid body the tests. 

The lack of uniformity in thickness is a matter 
of no importance ; indeed, instead of being a de¬ 
triment, as is the case with all other leather used 
by harness-makers, it is a positive advantage, as 
the shoulders and other thin parts can be used 
for check and other light loops, while the thick 
butts are of the proper weight for trace and simi¬ 
lar heavy loops, all the intermediate thicknesses 
being available for the various loops for other 
parts. 

BUYING LEATHER. 

In purchasing leather, the buyer is compelled 
to depend much upon the honor of the seller 
in other respects than the determination of the 
quality, excepting in the case of weight stock, 
which is sold by the pound, the weight being as¬ 
certained at the time of sale. With trimmed 
stock, however, the case is different in most mar¬ 
kets. This leather is marked with its weight 
while in the rough, and after it is trimmed and 
curried there are no means of ascertaining the 
correctness of the brand. It is claimed that a 
side of leather weighing eighteen pounds in the 
rough will lose about four pounds in the curry¬ 
ing and trimming. No reliance however, can be 


38 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

placed upon this estimate ; for if the flesh side is 
not well cleaned, and the currier is desirous of 
misleading, the leather may be stuffed with cheap 
oil until the finished is equal to the rough 
weight. 

Backs as well as trimmed sides are sold by the 
rough weight, with an additional charge of $1 
and $1.50 each for dressing. Recently, however, 
a leading New-York manufacturer has adopted 
the plan of selling backs by their actual weight 
at the time of sale, the price charged being 82 
cents per pound, which is, as near as can be ascer¬ 
tained, the actual cost of that bought by the 
pound, and to which an extra charge has been 
added for finishing. The latter is the most simple 
method, and will no doubt come into general use 
when the advantages are fully understood. 

The buyer, however, is at liberty to take or 
leave the bellies—in the latter case the value by 
weight being deducted from the bill. These 
weigh, as a rule, four pounds. Thus a side of 
leather which weighed eighteen pounds in the 
rough, if properly fleshed and curried will lose 
four pounds by this process and three or four 
pounds more by cropping, leaving about eleven 
pounds of prime leather in the back, for which the 
buyer pays as though in the rough stock—eighteen 
pounds, less the three or four pounds deducted if 
the bellies are not wanted. Therefore, in buying 
a back, 48 cents a pound would be charged for 
eighteen pounds of leather, and $1.50 added for 
dressing, making the total cost $8.70, after de- 


BUYING LEATHER. 


39 


ducting for the bellies, leaving eleven pounds of 
prime leather, to be paid for at a cost of about 
80 cents a pound, or nearly double the apparent 
quotation. 

In trimmed stock, the difference between the 
actual and the quoted price is much less, but the 
buyer pays for the bellies as well as the backs. 
The price charged per pound is, however, about 
2 cents less for the same quality, in which case an 
eighteen-pound side would cost $8.28, and the 
actual weight would be about fourteen pounds, 
making the leather cost about 59 cents a pound, 
a difference of about 21 cents a pound between 
it and the backs. It will be seen by this that any 
false branding of the rough weight causes a mark¬ 
ed advance in the price, and should teach the 
importance of buying trimmed stock of honest, 
reliable men, and of avoiding speculators, who 
offer extra inducements in the way of low prices, 
as the latter are sure to be made up by increased 
weight. 


CHAPTER III. 

PATENT LEATHER. 

G LAZED, or, as it is more frequently called, 
patent leather is now extensively used in 
the manufacture of harness, pads, gig-saddles, and 
winkers, they being seldom made of other kinds, 
while for ornaments such as tabs, tug-ends, fronts, 
etc., it is deemed almost indispensable; like plain 
leather, it is made both of good and poor material, 
and finished to correspond. 

The finest quality is made of well-assorted 
hides, tanned with young oak bark, weak liquors 
being used at first, and gradually strengthened 
each day until the proper degree is reached, 
ample time being given to thoroughly tan the 
leather before it is removed from the vats. All 
hides that are to be used for thin leather are then 
split. 

The first split taken from the flesh side is small, 
and is known as the “junior,” and is seldom 
finished in glazed stock; following this is one or 
more full splits according to the thickness of the 
hide. The splits are always finished smooth, the 
grain being largely used for enamel leather, 
though it is also finished as grain, collar, binding, 
etc. 


PATENT LEATHER. 


41 


Running the hide through the splitting-ma¬ 
chine has long been acknowledged to be detri¬ 
mental to the leather, owing to the severe strain 
to which it is subjected, but the introduction of 
the belt-knife machine for splitting removes much 
of this objection, as the hide is split without be¬ 
ing strained in the least. The processes of var¬ 
nishing, drying, and finishing, while determining 
the quality of the leather, are foreign to the busi¬ 
ness of the harness-maker ; but there are points 
which he should understand in order to be able 
to judge of the quality of the leather. The first 
of these is the condition of the finished surface, 
which should be smooth, the coat of color and 
varnish being of sufficient thickness to give a 
pure color, while on skirting, winker, and other 
heavy stock the varnish should be thicker than 
on light leathers, as these are seldom bent while 
being worked. Light leather, such as collar and 
binding, is always worked over round frames, and 
if the glazed coat is too heavy it is liable to 
crack, thus defacing the surface. This is par¬ 
ticularly the case with collar-leathers, which in 
too many cases are but the thinnest splits, select¬ 
ed without regard to their adaptability to the 
required purpose, whereas they should be of 
extra soft stock, coated as thinly as possible with 
the best grade of varnish. The severe treatment 
it receives while being shaped to the collar is 
sure to impair the surface even of the best. The 
grades of leather known as grain winker, skirt¬ 
ing, collar, etc., command a much higher price 


42 THE HARNESS-MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

than that known as splits. With the thinner qua¬ 
lities there is some advantage in using the grain, 
as the surface preserves its original appearance 
much better after being worked than does split 
stock; for winker and skirting, however, the 
grain does not possess any special merit, except 
what it may gain from not being put through the 
splitting-machine, as thin hides are selected, and 
they are reduced to a uniform thickness by the 
knife. The varnish is applied to the flesh sides, and 
is therefore open to the same objections as to split 
stock. The prejudice against the latter is a sense¬ 
less one, and harness-makers pay dearly for yield¬ 
ing to it and selecting grain stock at higher rates. 

Enamel leather is always made of the grain 
side, and its quality must be determined by its 
softness to the touch, purity of color, and fineness 
of finish. The prices of patent leather vary to an 
extent that creates surprise in the minds of 
buyers who are unacquainted with the causes. 

These exist from the very commencement. In 
the first place, the hides themselves may be of an 
inferior quality. When they are limed and pre¬ 
pared for the tanner, they may be placed in 
strong hemlock liquors and partially tanned, 
after which they are split and then retanned in 
oak liquor for the purpose of producing a light 
color. They are also submitted to various mani¬ 
pulations, unknown to any but the initiated, for 
the purpose of giving a good appearance to the 
leather without increasing the expense, which in 
no way improves the quality. After being other- 


PATENT LEATHER. 


43 


wise prepared for the varnish, the hides are 
placed upon a frame, and by means of powerful 
jack-screws stretched to their utmost extent, 
whereby an increased measurement of from five 
to seven feet is given to each. They are then 
glazed and finished to look as well as prime 
stock, and can be sold at a marked reduction in 
price compared with the former; but the buyer 
who imagines he has saved two cents a foot by 
purchasing these hides pays for five or seven feet 
of leather, the greater part of which is sure to be 
lost, in a few months, by shrinkage. The worst 
feature of this excessive stretching is that the 
leather, being extended to its utmost capacity 
while wet, can not be worked smooth when used 
over irregular shapes, as all the stretch is taken 
out of it while being manufactured. This cheap 
stock therefore costs nearly as much as the best 
qualities, is more difficult to work, and is less 
durable when put to actual use. The care of 
patent leather in stock in order to prevent loss 
is a matter of considerable importance. When 
practicable, all thick stock should be hung up in 
a cool, dry room, while thin stock, both enamelled 
and smooth, should be rolled, thin paper being 
placed next to the glazed surface. 

There is another matter that is well worthy the 
attention of buyers—namely, the season in the 
year when the leather is made, this having much 
to do with its durability. 

The best leather is produced in cool weather, 
the poorest during the hot months of July and 


44 the harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 

August. The latter is somewhat less liable to 
become sticky when exposed to the sun, but it 
is almost sure to crack during cold weather, 
sometimes when not in use, and there are very 
few leather-manufacturers who are willing to 
warrant stock not made in cold weather. Harness- 
manufacturers should therefore look well to this 
matter, as cracked patent leather destroys the 
appearance of their work. 


CHAPTER IV. 


CUTTING HARNESS. 

HE cutting of harness leather so as to avoid 



1 waste, and to secure that best suited to the 
requirements of each individual strap is a subject 
of the first importance to every harness-maker, 
no matter what the extent of his business^ may be. 
Leather scraps are of no value, though every 
piece has been paid for, while the use of the soft¬ 
est and weakest part of the leather in straps that 
receive the greatest amount of strain insures the 
production of an inferior harness, be it ever so 
well made up. The cutter therefore lays the foun¬ 
dation for, and upon his skill depends much of, 
the manufacturer’s success. In large factories 
this is well understood, and the most skilful men 
are employed at high wages to cut up stock. 

These cutters are of necessity governed by the 
grade of harness and kind of stock used, and are 
guided solely by their own judgment, there being 
no general rule that can be applied to each indi¬ 
vidual case. The small manufacturer, however, 
is differently situated, and by following rules that 
have been adopted by those who have had years 
of experience in the best shops of the country, he 


46 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

will not only save stock, but produce much more 
durable harness. The cutter receives his leather 
in three forms, known to the trade as weight 
stock, trimmed stock, and backs; these are illus¬ 
trated by Fig. I. The extreme outline shows the 
side in full; this is sold as weight stock—that is, 
by its actual weight at the time of purchase. The 
dotted line commencing at the root of the tail 
and passing down the back end, along the belly 
and up the front to the top, shows the general 
form of the hide after being trimmed, though in 
some cases -the trimming consists of merely cut¬ 
ting off a few of the most prominent points and 
slightly straightening the edges. The dotted line 
A, running parallel with the length of the hide, in¬ 
dicates the bottom line of what is known as the 
back (the width of which is governed by the con¬ 
dition of the hide itself), the line of separation 
being drawn just above the thin portion of the 
flank, the position of which is shown by the dotted 
line B, the ends being trimmed the same as in 
trimmed stock. 

A harness-maker who does a small business of 
a general nature will find it most profitable to 
buy weight stock of the best quality ; he can 
then crop it, as it is called—that is, cut the side in 
two parts at or about the line A. This will give 
him three straight edges to work from in cutting 
out straps for repairing and other small jobs, ob¬ 
viating the necessity of splitting his leather to 
obtain straps for the requisite thickness, and also 
avoiding the spoiling of a trace or rein by cutting a 


Fig. 


CUTTING HARNESS. 


47 























48 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

small strap from the back, as he would be com¬ 
pelled to do under other circumstances. In cut¬ 
ting, there is one point that should not be over¬ 
looked, namely, to avoid as far as possible the use 
of the splitting-machine to reduce the straps to 
the required thickness. This machine materially 
facilitates the labor of the workman, but it is posi¬ 
tively injurious to the leather, and should not be 
used when it is possible to dispense with it. For 
small straps the spokeshave works nearly if not 
quite as expeditiously, and is in no way injurious. 

The cutter must first ascertain the actual con¬ 
dition of the hide he proposes to cut up. If one 
hide is to be used exclusively for a single harness, 
it must be of good quality, uniform thickness, and 
free from blemishes; but if a number of harness 
are to be cut at one time, the sides should be 
selected, the finest and most uniform in thickness 
being used for traces, reins, etc., but those having 
thick butts and thin shoulders should be cut up 
in short straps, in the manner shown by Fig. 1. 

The dotted line represents the straightened 
edge. If the back for a few inches below this 
line is of suitable thickness for traces, that por¬ 
tion of it between C and D may be used for this 
purpose, and all the back end between D and A, 
back of E, be cut up for short, heavy straps, such 
as hold-backs, martingales, breast-straps, etc., for 
express or team harness, and shaft girth-bil¬ 
lets, back-bands, breeching-straps, etc., for car¬ 
riage-harness. The shoulder forward of the line 
E, being thin, is admirably adapted to docks, and 


CUTTING HARNESS. 


49 


should be cut as shown by lines X. Being cut 
across the grain, they work up smoothly on the 
inside, the few wrinkles that are formed by bend¬ 
ing being easily rubbed out. The remaining 
portion of the side, such as bellies, etc., be 
cut into folds and linings, and the short, firm pieces 
into buckle-chapes and short billets, thus utiliz¬ 
ing every part. 

To cut a single harness out of a side of leather 
requires an entirely different process, which will 
be explained in detail, the side with the different 
sections being shown by Fig. 2. 

A side for this purpose if of closely trimmed 
stock should weigh about sixteen pounds, the 
rough brand being seventeen or eighteen. 

The back should first be straightened as shown 
by the dotted line A, which should be drawn 
as nearly as possible on a line parallel with the 
centre of the back-bone. It may be necessary to 
waste a little stock to do this, but the advantage 
of having the fibre of the side parallel with the 
edges of the straps will more than repay the loss 
occasioned. Having straightened the centre cut 
of the tail as shown by line 1, then measure off 
from line 1 the full length required for the traces 
and reins, cut in line 2 of the same depth as line 
1, and cut the requisite straps for these parts. 
This will leave the back perfectly straight, unless, 
as sometimes occurs, the side from the root of the 
tail is shaped like that shown. In this case, 
straighten the new line by cutting off the small 
piece back of line 1, and cut the straight cross- 


50 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

line 3, then measure from the back end the length 
required for the breeching-straps, and cut these 
from B. This will leave the edge with a jag at 
line 4, which should be straightened before cut¬ 
ting any other straps from the back end. 

It may be well to state at this point that keep¬ 
ing a straight edge the full length of the side, and 
cutting the cross-lines no deeper than absolutely 
necessary to release the straps, are two important 
considerations, which if not observed will result 
in no little waste of leather. A very common 
fault of the cutters, and one that should be care¬ 
fully guarded against, is the holding of the knife at 
an acute angle, and cutting from the under side, 
allowing it to cut into the side of leather in order 
to release the end of the strap previously slit off. 

The offset C, forward of the cross-line 4, can be 
cut up into layers for girths. These being re¬ 
moved, the edge is once more straight, and the 
cutter should measure off from the back end sec¬ 
tion the requisite length for the turn-back or hip- 
straps, cutting in on line 5, the same lengths 
answering for shaft tug-billets and back-bands, 
giving a pair of each by cutting in the middle! 
Sections H and M may be cut up into breast col¬ 
lar-layers, crown-pieces, breeching-layers, neck- 
straps, nose-pieces, martingale-layers, etc., and, if 
not too heavy, into check-pieces, throat-latches, 
and centre check-pieces in the order named! 
Section E should be cut into straps that require 
rounding, such as checks, round throat-latches, 
etc., and section K into linings and points! 


Fig. 


CUTTING HARNESS. 


51 



















52 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

always measuring from the back end, and retain¬ 
ing the head and neck part that is left in as 
large a piece as possible. By this time all the 
heaviest straps are provided for and the best por¬ 
tion cut up. The section X, indicated by the 
dotted line, represents the thin, baggy flank, which 
should not be cut up into straps, but can be used 
to good advantage for linings to winkers. Sec¬ 
tion P, back of this, is just what is required for 
winker-braces, the back end being thick, the 
leather gradually growing thinner as the flank is 
approached. All that part of the side forward of 
the flank, and below section K, can be worked up 
into folds, cutting the breeching, breast-collar, 
neck-straps, belly-bands, and crowns in the order 
named. The thick end back of the flank, and be¬ 
low section P, can be cut up into buckle-chapes, 
short billets, etc., while the thin ends and other 
irregular-shaped pieces can be used to good ad¬ 
vantage for linings for tabs, etc. It is not 
claimed that this system of cutting can be strictly 
carried out in all cases, but by following the 
general order given, the cutter will be sure of se¬ 
curing just such leather as is needed for the par¬ 
ticular straps named, and will at the same time 
avoid all unnecessary waste. Certain defects in 
the side may necessitate slight changes in the 
section indicated for certain straps, but when the 
blemishes are removed the regular order given 
should be followed, providing that the straps re¬ 
quiring great strength arc not crowded below 
the line A in Fig. i. 
























































































































CHAPTER V. 


PREPARING THE LEATHER FOR THE FITTER. 

I N the manufacture of fine harness, where the 
straps are to be worked up full and to artis¬ 
tic patterns, the best quality of oak leather should 
be used, as, it being well curried, the manner of 
working it is less complicated than when com¬ 
moner grades are employed. The reason lor this 
is, that only the firm portion of the leather is 
used, the bellies, flanks, etc., being cut all off, leav¬ 
ing a narrow strip called the back, from eighteen 
to twenty-two inches wide. This leather requires 
to be moistened with a sponge and water, but 
there are few harness-makers who wet it to any 
considerable extent. The practice, however, ol 
one of the leading manufacturers of this country 
is to place all the straps in a vat of water, allow¬ 
ing them to remain immersed until the grain 
shows signs of the tallow coming to the surface. 
They are then removed, wiped, and hung up 
until the surface moisture is dried off, when they 
are handed over to the fitter, who rolls the whole 
in a coarse cloth, afterwards taking them out 
one at a time, and fitting them up. It is claimed 
that this treatment prepares the leather for work¬ 
ing up much better than when it is merely damp- 


54 the harness-makers' illustrated manual. 

ened, and that the little oil and grease forced out 
can easily be replaced without any detriment to 
the leather. 

Curriers, however, condemn this treatment 
of fine, well-finished stock, but experience has 
shown that leather thus manipulated can be work¬ 
ed up into the finest harness, the finish on the 
grain being soft and clear and the edges smooth, 
the leather retaining its softness as long as that 
which has only been moistened. While there is a 
marked reduction in the labor necessary in fitting 
it up, it is evident that there is something gained 
by pursuing this method. 

There is in the market large quantities of well- 
tanned but poorly-curried stock. This is far 
preferable to poorly-tanned leather, no matter 
how well it may be curried, if properly treated 
by the harness-maker. The right course to pur¬ 
sue with this quality is to soak the leather until 
it is well moistened to the centre, the length of 
time necessary varying so greatly with different 
kinds that it is impossible to give any other 
guides than the appearance of the grease on the 
surface. The “testing-strap” is also sometimes 
employed. A small scrap of the leather, being 
soaked, is placed in the water with the straps, 
and when the workman thinks the leather is suffi¬ 
ciently wet, he cuts this strap and ascertains 
whether or not the moisture has penetrated to 
the centre. When sufficiently wet, the straps are 
removed from the vat and hung up until the sur¬ 
face moisture has dried off. Each strap is then 


PREPARING THE LEATHER FOR THE FITTER. 


55 


taken in hand, and if the leather has been badly 
fleshed, a spokeshave is used to remove all the 
superfluous stock. This is done by laying the 
strap on the bench, grain side down, securing the 
end with an awl, and with a sharp tool cutting 
off the loose scraps and thin, veiny portions. 
Care should be taken, however, to avoid cutting 
away any more of the flesh side than is absolute¬ 
ly necessary, as the leather is weakened by so 
doing. After being cleaned off, the leather should 
be rubbed on the flesh side with a slicker, and 
laid out on a board grain side down; then with 
brush give each strap a coat of melted tallow, 
warm enough to run freely, but not sufficiently 
hot to injure the leather, and brush it well to 
work in all the grease possible. Allow the straps 
to remain coated with tallow for twelve hours at 
least, by which time the moisture will have dried 
out and the tallow have struck well into the pores 
of the leather. No bad results will follow if the 
leather is allowed to remain a much longer time 
coated with the tallow. 

After the leather has been in this state a suffi¬ 
cient length of time, each strap must be placed 
upon a bench, grain side down, and secured in 
the same manner as before mentioned ; then with 
a glass slicker rub the flesh side thoroughly, 
working in all the grease possible, the surplus 
being removed by the slicker. Then turn the 
strap over, and rub down the other side to set 
the grain and give it a fine appearance. 

If the straps are to be worked up full, it will 


56 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED, MANUAL. 

not be necessary to rub the grain side much, as 
the rubbing incident to the process of fitting 
up will give it a fine finish. This recurrying 
is not done solely with a view of improving the 
appearance of the leather, though this alone 
would fully compensate the manufacturer for his 
trouble, the treatment being equally beneficial to 
its wearing qualities, as the leather is made more 
dense by the rubbing it receives, while the grease 
is worked thoroughly into every fibre, causing it 
to become soft and flexible. 

With ordinary leather, this recurrying will re¬ 
duce it in thickness nearly one third without a 
particle of its original substance being removed. 
The good effect is not so marked upon poorly- 
tanned leather as it is on that which is well tanned 
but poorly curried, but the improvement in the 
wearing qualities and appearance is sufficient to 
make it profitable to expend labor in this direc¬ 
tion. 

The leather used for single-strap track-harness 
should always be rubbed on the flesh side as has 
been directed, in order to give a fine, smooth, and 
perfect finish, which, after being blacked, will 
make the flesh nearly equal to the grain side. 
Besides this, the increased density given to the 
leather makes it possible to trim the edges 
smoothly and finish them as finely as the grain, 
and as this latter consideration is one of great 
importance to all who desire the harness to ap¬ 
pear smooth and true, they will find it greatly to 
their advantage to follow the above directions 


PREPARING THE LEATHER FOR THE FITTER. 


when preparing their leather. Common harness 
could be made to appear much neater than is 
generally the case if the same course were fol¬ 
lowed in the treatment of the leather as recom¬ 
mended for fine grades, but as the prices are 
usually such as to render the carrying out of this 
system unprofitable, the leather can be fitted up 
without extra labor, the straps being moistened 
by dipping them into a pail of water, or by using 
a sponge. With this kind of stock, no more water 
should be used than is absolutely necessary to 
cause it to work up well. 


CHAPTER VI. 


MEASURING FOR HARNESS. 

VERY large percentage of all the harness- 



makers in this country look upon the idea 
of measuring a horse as unworthy their consi¬ 
deration, but the experience and observation of 
the most enterprising men in the custom trade 
has convinced them that the reason why there 
are so many ill fitting harness in use is because 
of the failure of so large a number in the trade 
to adopt the same common-sense rules which 
govern other mechanics. There are some straps 
which can be lengthened or shortened to accom¬ 
modate them to the size and form of the horse with 
out detriment; but the principal ones can not 
be so changed, and if not made of a proper length 
at first they seriously interfere with the appear¬ 
ance as well as the durability of the harness. 

Prominent among the latter is the hame tug, 
whether it be for a short or long tug harness. If 
for a long tug, the length must be such that when 
the collar is well down upon the shoulder, the 
market tug will follow a line parallel with the 
center of the pad side: if this position is not main¬ 
tained, an unnecessary strain is thrown upon the 
swivel, or loop in the end of the pad top, and 
the pad itself will be likely to be drawn out of 


MEASURING FOR HARNESS. 


59 


shape and the appearance of the harness be 
marred. With short tugs the result is quite as 
injurious ; if the tug is sufficiently long to allow 
the trace buckle to come in contact with the pad 
trace bearer on a double harness, and the buckle 
on the back band of a single harness, injury will 
be done to these straps, or to the hame tug itself. 
It naturally follows, therefore, that the length of 
the horse from the collar to the girth is an im¬ 
portant consideration. 

With breast collar harness the length of the 
body is equally as important as the length of the 
hame tug on the hame collar ; the position of the 
neck strap tugs has much to do with the set of 
the collar and the wear of the harness. If the 
tugs are set too far back, the collar will sag in 
front so as to interfere with the movement of the 
horse, or it will be necessary to shorten the neck 
strap to such an extent that an undue strain will 
be thrown upon it at the neck strap tug when 
the trace is straightened. 

The proper length for the breeching body, 
winker brace, cheek straps, girths, etc., are of 
equal importance; while the point of attaching 
the hip strap to the turnback, the front to the 
cheek pieces, and the position of the winkers, all 
contribute much to the durability as well as the 
appearance of the harness ; yet there are those 
who ridicule the whole idea of measuring, they 
depending entirely upon lengthening or shorten¬ 
ing such straps as can be adjusted by the use of 
buckles. 


60 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

Manufacturers who carry on an extended busi¬ 
ness and ship goods to all parts of the country 
can not measure every horse ; they have accord¬ 
ingly adopted a set of lengths for each class, 
based upon the size of horse upon which they are 
to be used. 

If a coach harness is to be made, it is supposed 
to be for horses sixteen hands, or over, high, and 
is cut to those lengths that experience has shown 
to be the most correct for such sized animals. 
If a double road harness is ordered, it is made 
from lengths suitable for horses fifteen or fifteen 
and a half hands high, while an order for a light 
phaeton harness would be filled by cutting from 
the scale of lengths adapted to horses fourteen or 
fourteen and a half hands high. A light track 
harness is cut to fit a horse fifteen or fifteen and 
a half hands high, while one for a coupe would 
be cut from the lengths suited to horses sixteen 
to sixteen and a half hands high. Regular buggy 
harness for common use are cut with traces and 
other straps running lengthwise to fit horses fif¬ 
teen hands high, but girths, etc., are cut for hea¬ 
vier animals. 

The lengths used by these houses have been 
determined by close observation, and are as 
nearly correct as can be expected. Another rule 
is based upon the lengths suited to a fifteen-hand 
horse, adding or subtracting four inches to 
girths, one and one half inches to breast and 
breeching bodies, and three inches to hip and 



COACH HARNESS 


















MEASURING FOR HARNESS. 


61 


neck straps, for every hand increase or decrease 
in the size of the horse. 

Such tables are always valuable to harness- 
makers who are making up stock, and by a little 
observation may be made to answer perfectly for 
different localities ; but custom makers who do 
not possess these scales of lengths should mea¬ 
sure the horses for which the harness is to be 
made if they hope to succeed in having it fit well. 

In measuring for a bridle, ascertain the length 
from the corner of the mouth to one inch below 
the root of the ear, and add enough to this for 
the lap to secure the buckle to the top of the 
cheek piece, and also two thirds the original 
length : this will give a cheek piece long enough 
to allow the loose end to enter into the cheek 
loop about one half its length ; for the crown 
piece, measure from the root of the ear on one 
side, over the head to the root of the ear on the 
other side, and add five or six inches to each end 
for the cheek and throat latch billets • for throat 
latch, measure from a point two inches below the 
root of the ear, around the throat, to the corre¬ 
sponding point on the other side; for the neck 
strap to a breast collar, pass the measure over 
the neck just forward of the highest point of the 
withers, carrying the ends forward three inches 
to a point parallel with the point where the 
throat enters the breast; determine the position 
of the tugs by measuring around the breast from 
the points designated by the ends of the neck 
strap. To determine the length of the breast 


62 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

collar, measure from a point four inches above the 
elbow on one side, around the breast just below 
where the throat enters the breast, to a corre¬ 
sponding point on the other side. The girth 
measure must also be taken. 

If the harness is to be made up with a long tug 
and market tug, designate the exact location of 
the centre of the girth, and measure from the 
end of the hame draft eye to the point designated 
as the centre of the girth, and deduct from this 
the length of the buckle back of the centre of the 
loop. See that the collar sets well back in its 
place when measuring for the tug, as the proper 
length of this strap is of the greatest importance : 
if it is too long or too short, the market tug will 
not occupy its proper position, and thereby de¬ 
tract much from the appearance of the harness. 
In measuring for the breeching, draw the line 
around the buttock from a point just above the 
stifle to a corresponding position on the oppo¬ 
site side, and allow one inch for slack ; for hip 
straps, measure from a point ten inches forward 
of the crupper down to the point occupied by the 
body of the breeching, and deduct three inches 
for the breeching tugs. 

The harness-maker who has a well-assorted 
table of lengths of the strapping for various 
kinds of harness need not measure the horse to 
be fitted except in special cases. A set of lengths 
which are suited to horses in one locality may 
be in part unsuited to those of another, owing to 
the difference in their build, and it would be well 


MEASURING FOR HARNESS. 63 

in all cases to test the lengths furnished before 
adopting them in full. 

In preparing the tables of lengths and widths 
in this work, the author has aimed to secure 
those which have proved correct, and, while not 
claiming infallibility, he believes they are as 
near perfect as any tables of this kind can be. 
They represent a variety of styles suited to the 
wants of all classes of customers, and can be fol¬ 
lowed with safety. 


CHAPTER VII. 


No. i. 

Single Strap Track Harness. 


bridle. 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Crown. 

... 23 

I 

Cheeks. 

.... 27 

i 

Throat latch. 

• .. 30 

i 

Front. 

... 21 

£ 

Winker strap. 

12 

1 

Split. 

7 

I 

Billet. 

.. . 5 

1 

Half Kemble Jackson check. 

... 25 

I 

Split. 


¥ 

Gag rein. 

... 24 

£ 

Center piece.. 


£ 

Billets. 

,... 10 


SADDLE. 

Tree. 

.... 3 


Flaps. 

.... 21* 


Swell. 


2| 

Points. 

.. .. 9 

¥ 

Jockeys . 

.... 4 * 

4 



















SINGLE STRAP TRACK HARNESS. 


65 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 


Belly band. 18 if 

Chapes. 7 f 

Shaft girth. 29 2 

Billets. 22 f 

Back bands. 20 f 

Shaft tugs. 18 f 

Safety strap. 45 1 

Martingale, body. 32 if 

Bottom lay. n f 

Ring piece, round. 17 ^ 

BREAST-COLLAR. 

Body. 35 2 

Neck piece. 38 if 

Ends. f 

Chapes. 7 f 

Traces... 83 1 

Lap, on breast collar. 11 

BREECHING. 

Body. 38 2 

Layers. 13 if 

Hip strap. 43 I 

Tugs, round. 11 f 

Chapes. 7 f 

Turnback. 44 t 

Body. if 

Dock. H Si- 

Reins ... 7 2 I 

Hand parts.— 84 if 




























No. 2. 


Single Road Harness—One-Inch Trace, 
bridle. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown layer. 23 £ 

Cheek pieces. 27 £ 

Winker strap. 12 1 

Billet. 5 £ 

Split, flat. 7 £ 

Winkers. 4 

Front. 21 £ 

Throat latch. 30 £ 

Gag reins. 24 £ 

Center piece. 60 £ 

Billets.*. 10 £ 

BREAST-COLLAR. 

Layer and trace in one. 89 1 

Neck piece. 48 £ 

SADDLE. 

Tree. 2£ 

Flaps. 2i£ if 

Swell. 2 

Jockeys. 3 J i| 



















SINGLE ROAD HARNESS—ONE-INCH TRACE. 67 


Length, Width, 

inches. inches. 


Points. 12 £ 

Back bands. 20 f 

Shaft tugs.*. 19 $ 

Belly band. 22 £ 

Shaft girth. 28 £ 

Billets. 22 £ 

Martingale. 41 £ 

Bottom lay. 19 £ 

BREECHING. 

Breeching layer. 45 £ 

Hip strap. 45 f 

Breeching tugs, round. 11 £ 

Buckle chapes. 7 f 

Breeching straps. 48 £ 

Turnback. 44 I 

Dock. 15 3 

Reins, flat. 7 2 i 

Hand parts. 84 i£ 

FOLDS. 

Crown. 11 2 £ 

Breast collar. 39 3 t 

Neck strap. 26 2£ 

Belly band. 16 3 

Shaft girth. 28 3 

Martingale. 3 2 2 f 

Breeching. 36 3 & 


























No. 3. 


Single Harness (Breast Collar). 


BRIDLE. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 


Crown piece. 21 iA 

Billets. 6 

Cheeks. 29 £ 

Throat latch. 28 ^ 

Front, made up. 12 

Winkers. 4 £ 4 J 

Winker brace. 13 T 

Billet . 5 i i 

Split, round. yi. 

Checks. 23 f 

Billets. g | 

Center piece. 60 # 


BREAST-COLLAR. 

Body layer. 44 x 

at ends. x 

Neck straps. 4 o j. 

at ends... 6. 

Tu gs. 7 | 

T races. 7 q t 




















SINGLE HARNESS (BREAST COLLAR). 


69 


GIG SADDLE. 

Length, ' Width, 
inches. inches. 

Tree. 3 

Flaps. 2I i 2 i 

Points. 9 i 

Jockeys. 3 i 2 1 

Backhands. 21 1 

Shaft tugs. 21 1 

Belly band. 22 i 

Shaft girth. 28 i 

Billets. 20 £ 

Martingale. 4 2 1 

Bottom. 1 9 i 

BREECHING. 

Body layer. 4 ^ i 

Hip strap. 44 £ 

Breeching tugs, round. 11 £ 

Buckle chapes. 7 £ 

Breeching straps. 4 $ 1 

Turnback. 44 I 

Body... 

Split. 8 £ 

Crupper dock. l 7 i 3 

FOLDS. 

Breast collar. 3 ^ 3 

Neckpiece. 2 4 2 i 

Breeching body. 37 3 

Belly band. J 7 2 t 

Shaft girth. 28 

Martingale. 34 2 £ 




























No. 4. 


Single Harness (Hame Collar), 
bridle. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inc v “* c 

Crown piece. 23 

Split. 6 

Cheeks. 27 

Throat latch. 28 

Front. 21 

Winker strap. 12 1 

Billet. 5 

Split, rounded. 7 

Check reins. 23 

Billets. 8£ 

Center piece. 60 

HAMES, ETC. 

Hame tugs. 13 i£ 

Hame straps, short. 17 £ 

long. 20 £ 

Traces. 80 i£ 

GIG SADDLE. 

3 i 

20 3£ 


Tree. 

Flaps 


M«>'»!'»»cjoo ecfat Hoo K>]oo wh* 



















SINGLE HARNESS (HAME COLLAR). 


Length, 

inches. 

Points. 14 

Back straps. 20 

Shaft tug's. 20 

Belly band... 22 

Shaft girth. 30 

Billets. 22 

Martingale. 35 

Bottom lay. 19 

Ring piece. 20 

Split. 16 

BREECHING. 

Body. 44 

Breeching straps. 49 

T ugs. 12 

Hip strap. 44 

Turnback. 44 

at hip. 

Crupper. 18 

FOLDS. 

Crown. 12 

Belly band. 1 7 

Shaft girth. 28 

Martingale. 33 

Breeching. 37 
























No. 5. 

Heavy Coupe Harness. 


BRIDLE. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown. 2 3 

Layer, cut to pattern. 9 ii 

Cheeks. 3 ° i 

Front. 22 ii 

Winker straps. 13 

Billets. 5 i 

Split. i 

Winkers. 6 5 i 

Nose piece. 3 ° 1 i 

Ends at cheeks. f 

Throat latch. 24 f 

Round check. 28 f 

Billets. 10 

Center check. 7 2 f 

SADDLE. 

Tree. 4 

Flap. 22 3| 

Swell. 4 

Point. 12 1 

Jockey. 5 31 - 

Back band (running). 46 if 

Shaft tugs... 24 if 

Belly band. 26 ij 
























HEAVY COUPE HARNESS. 


73 


Length, Width, 

inches. inches. 


Shaft girth. 30 1 

Billets. 23 1 

Martingale. 34 1 

Bottom lay. 21 £ 

IIAMES, TRACES. 

Hames, 4 pounds. £ 

Hame tug, made up. 10J ij 

Safes, full length. 2J 

Loops. 4 i 

Traces. 72 i£ 

BREECHING. 

Body layer. 5 2 x i 

Hip straps. 48 

Center. ij 

Swell. 2 

Split. id £ 

Tugs. 11 £ 

Breeching strap. 5 ° i 

Turnback. 60 f 

Body. 20 i£ 

Split. 9 £ 

Dock. 19 

Kidney strap. 34 1 

Ornament. 3 i 2 

FOLDS. 

Breeching. 4^ 3 f 

Belly band. O 

Shaft girth. T 9 3 i 



























No. 6. 

Double Road Harness, without Breeching. 


BRIDLES. 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown pieces. 23 1 

Layer, waved. 7 f 

Cheeks. 29 \ 

Gag runners. 8 £ 

Throat latches. 26 f 

Winker straps. 12 i| 

Split. 8 -f 

Billets. £ 

Winkers. 4J 

Fronts. 30 f 

Checks. 23 £ 

Center parts. 60 £ 

Billets. 10 


HAMES AND TRACES. 

Hames. 

Hame straps. 

Hame tugs. 

Safes. 


Loops. 4J 

Ends. 

Traces. 80 

Spread straps. 18 

Link. 


PADS. 


To P--. 17 

Sides. 18 

Points. 8 

Trace bearers. 16 




i 


if 

i 


1 




























DOUBLE ROAD HARNESS, WITHOUT BREECHING. 75 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Housings. 24 2f 

Belly bands. 23 £ 

Turnback. 44 £ 

Body. 

Split. 9 | 

Docks. 14 3 

Standing martingales. 64 £ 

Chin parts. 12 £ 

Short reins, rounded. 55 i£ 

Long reins, rounded. 72 i£ 

Hand parts. 102 i£ 

BREAST COLLARS FOR PATENT YOKE. 

Body layers. 40 1 

Loops. 4f 1 

Neck straps. 43 i£ 

Split, long ends. 17^ £ 

short ends. 14J £ 

Tugs, short. 2\ £ 

Tugs, long. 2f \ 

Billets on yokes. 6 £ 

Yoke straps. 11 i£ 

Martingale. 20 1 

Billets. 12 £ 

Safety straps. 36 £ 

FOLDS. 

Belly bands. 17 3^ 

Breast collars. 41 4 

Neck straps. 8 4 

Martingales. 32 3^ 





























No. 7. 


Short Tug Coach Harness, without 
Breeching. 


BRIDLES. 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Crown pieces. 

. . . . 22 

if 

Cheeks. 


f 

Fronts, made up. 

.... 13 

if 

Throat latch. 

.... 23 

f 

Winker brace. 

.... 13 

ii 

Split, flat. 

.... 8 

I 

Billet ends. 


f 

Gag runners. 

8 

# 

Winkers. 

•■•■ 5f 

5i 

Cheek loops. 

.... 7i 

Check reins. 


fi 

Center pieces. 


f 

PADS. 

Tops. 



At bilge. 


2i 

Center. 


If 

Side pieces. 


If 

Trace bearers. 


If 

Lining. 

.... 13 

If 

Point. 


i 





















SHORT TUG COACH HARNESS, WITHOUT BREECHING. 77 


Length, 

inches. 


Belly bands. 24 

Martingales. 28 

Bottoms. 16 

Billets. 13 

Standing martingales. 60 

Mouth pieces. 17 

Turnbacks. 44 

At docks. 

Split. 9 

Hip straps. 66 

Dock. 18 


HAMES AND TRACES. 


Hames. 

Hame tugs. 16 

Bottoms... 13 

Loops. 4f 

Hame straps. 28 

Traces. 81 

Spread straps. 16 


Width, 

inches. 

f 

t 

I 

I 

t 

T 

¥ 

if 

i 

t 

24- 


t 

24- 


f 

1} 

f 


FOLDS. 


Belly bands 
Martingales 


16 

30 


ii 

3 * 






















No. 3 . 

Long Tug Coach Harness. 

BRIDLES. 

Length, 

inches. 


Crown pieces. 2 3 

Layers. 9 

Cheeks. 2 9 

Face pieces. 12 

Ornaments. 4 i 

Nose pieces. *4 

Ends. 

Throat latches. 26 

Winkers . 

Checks for swivel. 3 ° 

Plain. 23 


Crown piece billets. 

Center check”. 

HAMES AND TRACES. 


Hames. 

Hame tugs, made up. 1 62- 

Safe. . 

Loops. 8 

Traces. 84 

PADS. 

Top.. 

Center. 

Swell. 

Housings. 21^- 

Center. 

Swell. 

Pad sides. 26 

Points. 10 


Width, 

inches. 


f 

f 

2 

if 

£ 

8 

f 

Si 

i 

i 

i 

f 

I 

il 

H 


if 

2f 

3 k 
5 

ii 


* Other straps same as in No. 7. 




























LONG TUG COACH HARNESS. 


79 


Length, Width, 


inches. inches. 

Market straps.. 20 1 

Swell. i-i. 

Market tugs. 20 1 

Loo Ps. 4 i 

Belly band, short. 23J £ 

long. 35 

Martingales. 27 -J 

Spread straps. 18 f 

Hame straps. 28 f 

BREECHINGS. 

Layers. 53 ij 

Tugs. 13 | 

Loops. 4 

Hip straps. 27 

Centers. ij 

Ornaments. 2\ 

Split. 19 f 

Turnbacks. 32|- f 

Bodies. 19 2 

Layers. 12 f 

Crupper billets. 8 f 

Docks.. 1 7b Si- 

Short reins. 84 i^ 

Rounded. 55 

Long reins. 84 i£ 

Rounded. 72 

Hand parts. 108 ij 

FOLDS. 

Belly band, short. 17 3f 

long. 20 

Martingales. 3 2 3i~ 

Breechings. 48 4 
































No. 9. 

English Four-in-Hand Harness. 

BRIDLES. 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Crown pieces . 

• 23 

if 

Chapes . 

2 

4 

Cheeks . 

. 10 } 

i 

Billets . 

. l6 

i 

Throat latches . 

. 27 

f 

Nose bands, middle .. 

. 12 } 

if 

Buckle-ends. 

• 13 

f 

Winker straps. 

• H 

if 

Split. 

. Si 


Face pieces. 

• 13 


Fronts. 

• 13 

if 

Winkers, square. 

. 6 i 

6f 

Bearing reins . 

. 66 

f 

Round reins . 

. 20 } 

if 

Running bradoons . 

. 26 

if 

Billets . 

• 9 

f 

PADS, ETC. 

Tops . 

• 1 7 


Bottoms . 

. 21 } 

2f 

Point straps . 

. 8 

If 

Girths . 

. 42 

2f 

Girth pieces . 

• 15 

2f 

Girth straps . 

. 16 

if 

Tug belly bands . 

• 52 

if 

BREECHINGS, ETC. 

Bodies . 

. 120 

If 

Hip straps. 

. 48 

If 



























ENGLISH FOUR-IN-HAND HARNESS. 81 



Length, 

Width, 

Breeching tugs. 



Trace bearers. 


ii 

Turnbacks. 


1* 

Layers. 


Linings. 


i£ 

Cruppers. 


ii 

Docks. 


3 

TRACES, ETC. 

. 


Traces, made up. 

.. 78 

1* 

Draw leathers. 


H 

Hame tugs. 



Safes. 


3 

At hame end.. 


2 

Short tugs.. 


H 

Tug straps. 

. . 18 

i 

Bearing martingales.. 

.. 54 

ii 

Short martingales.. 

.. 42 

ii 

Leader traces, made up. 


ii 

Hame tugs. 

.. 18 

ii 

Safes. 

• • 2 °i 



All other leader strapping, narrower 


than wheelers. J- 


REINS. 

Wheeler .... . ,.. 

Couplings. 

Billets. 

Hand parts. 

Leader reins. 


13 feet i* 
9 “ ii 
1 foot 
6 feet ij 
22 “ ij 



























No. io. 


Tandem Harness.—Lead-Horse. 


BRIDLE. 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Crown piece. 

23 


Layer. 

7 


Cheeks. 

29 

1 

Throat strap. 

26 

i 

Winker strap. 

’ 12 


Split. 

8 


Winker. 

5 

S-t 

Check for swivel. 

28 


Billets. 

9 

f 

Front, made up. 

13 

i 

Center check. 

60 


Reins... 

i 75 

1 

PAD AND LONG TUGS. 

Top. 

17 

it 

Housing. 

24 

3 i 

Sides. 

17 

1} 

Points. 

12 

i 

Market tug chapes. 

20 

i 

Market tug billets. 

20 

i 

Belly band, fold. 

17 


Layer. 

23 























TANDEM HARNESS.—LEAD-HORSE. 


83 


Turnback_ 

Body. 

Split.. 

Dock. 

Hame tugs... 

Traces. 

Trace bearers 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

• 44 4 - 

l i 

. 8 

. 12 3 

. 1ii 

. 90 i£ 

. 56 


GIG SADDLE AND SHORT TUGS. 


Tree. .... 4 

Flaps. 22 

Points. 10 

Trace bearers. 17 

Hame tugs. 13 

Traces. 92 


SHAFT-HORSE. 


3 } 

i 

I 


Bridle cut of an inch heavier than that for 
lead-horse, the lengths being the same through¬ 
out. 


SADDLE. 


Length, Width, 

inches. inches. 


Tree. 5 

Flaps. 23 4i 

At swell. 5f 

Points. 10 i|- 

All other parts cut to the same measurements 
as those of the Coupe harness, No. 5. 



















No. ii. 


Medium Weight Single Express Harness, 
bridle. 

Length, Width 
inches. inches. 

Crown piece. 24 1 % 

Cheeks. 30 £ 

Throat latch.22 £ 

Front. 22 £■ 

Winker brace. 13 i£ 

Split. 8 

Rounded . 7 

Gag runners. 16 f 

Facepieces. 26 i£ 

Split. 10 

Check reins. 22 1 

Billets. 10 £ 

Center. 60 | 

Winkers, square. 5 

GIG SADDLE. 

Tree. 5 

Skirts, width to suit tree. 22 

Points. 12 i£ 

Belly band, fold. 18 5 





















MEDIUM WEIGHT SINGLE EXPRESS HARNESS. 85 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Shaft girth, fold. 22 5 

Chapes. 7 ij 

Shaft tugs.. 20 ij 

Billets. 14 ij 

Carriers for saddle. 20 ij 

Hame tugs. 20 i|- 

Hame straps . 20 $ 

Traces. 74 ij 

BREECHING. 

Body fold. 38 5 

Layer. 46 1 \ 

Breeching straps. 48 ij 

Tugs. 12 1 

Hip strap. 44 2 

Split. 20 

Carrying straps. 22 f 

Turnback. 44 1 

Layer. 9 

Crupper body. 18 i£ 

Split. 8 

Crupper dock. 15 2 i 






















No. 12. 


Heavy Single Express Harness. 


BRIDLE. 


Crown piece .. 

Cheeks. 

Throat latch .., 

Front. 

Made up.. 
Winker strap... 

Split., 
Billet 
Nose piece 

Checks.. 

Center piece... 
Winkers. 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches, 

22 ij 

29 1 

25 f 

30 I 
12 

I2t It 

7 i 

5 i 

13 i 

23 i 

60 t 

Si 5 


HAMES AND TRACES. 


Hames.'... £ 

Hame tugs. 11 if 

Loops. 4 

Traces. 7 2 i| 

Hame strap, long. 23 1 

short. 1 7 1 




















HEAVY SINGLE EXPRESS HARNESS. 


87 


SADDLE. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Tree. 6 

Flaps. 22 si 

Jockies. 6 si 

Points. l i 

Back straps. 22 ij- 

Shaft tugs. 26 li 

Billets. x 4 

Chapes, long belly band. 8 ij 

short belly band. 8 ij 

Martingale. 29 ij 

Billet. 14 1 

BREECHING. 

Layer.. 4 $ 

T ugs. 9 1 

Hip straps. 4 8 1 

Turnback. l i 

Dock.... 3 

Breeching straps. 5 8 l i 

Reins.• * 1 

FOLDS. 

Breeching. 4 1 5 

Belly band, short. 1 7 4 i 

long. 22 42- 

Martingale .•.. 3 2 4 i 

Turnback. 22 2 * 

























No. 13. 

Long Tug Team Harness, Soft Pad. 
bridles. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown pieces. 24 if 

Split. 7 

Cheek billets. f 

Throat latch billets. £ 

Cheeks. 30 f 

Fronts. 24 f 

fitted up. 161- 

Winker straps . 15 if 

rounded. 9 

Face pieces. 22 if 

Split. 11 

Throat latches. 24 £ 

Winkers.. 5f 5f 

Inside checks. 60 £ 

Outside checks. 26 £ 

Billets. 10 £ 

PADS, ETC. 

Tops. 22 i£ 

Ends. if 

Ring pieces... 26 if 

Center rounded.. 5 






















LONG TUG TEAM HARNESS, SOFT PAD. 


89 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Nut pieces. 

.... 18 

if 

Skirt straps. 

.... 32 

if 

Back strap. 


if 

Split. 

.... 52 


Chapes. 

.... 9 

if 

Layers. 


if 

BREECHING. 

Folds. 

.... 44 

5 

Layers. 

.... 54 


Chapes for lead up. 

.... 6* 


Layers. 


J 

Side straps.:. 

.... 68 

1 

Lazy straps. 

.... 44 

1 

TRACES, ETC. 

Traces, fitted up. 

.... 72 

if 

Hame tugs, fitted up. 

.... 18 

if 

Billets. 

.... 16 

ii 

Belly band folds. 

.... 18 

5 i 

Chapes. 

.... 7 

J i 

Pole straps.. 


If 

Breast straps,.. 

.... 66 

If 

Collar straps... 


I 

Hame straps, bottom... . 

.... 26 

I 

top. 

.... 28 

I 
























No. 14. 


Long Tug Farm Harness. 


bridles. 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Crown pieces ..... 



Ends split. 


f 

Cheeks. 


f 

Bit straps. 

. 

1 

Throat latches, long. 


¥ 

short. 


¥ 

Winker straps. 




Split, flat. 8 \ 

round. 8 f 

Billet. 5 I 

Fronts. 12 

Face pieces. 22 1 

Split........ 10 

rounded. 7 

Checks. 24 | 

rounded. 15 

Center. 60 | 

Billets. 8{ 




















LONG TUG FARM HARNESS. 


9 1 


PADS, TRACES, ETC. 


Pad tops, soft pad. 

Length, 

inches. 

. 36 

Width, 

inches. 

ii 

Layers. 

. 50 


Billets. 

. l6 

*i 

Belly band fold. 

. 21 

5 

Billets. 

. H 

ii 

Hame tugs. 

. 17 

H 

Traces. 

. 72 

H 

Hame straps, long. 

. 22 

1 

short. 


1 

Holdbacks. 

. 52 

H 

Breast straps. 

. 52 


Turnbacks. 

. 36 

1 

Crupper bodies. 

. 17 

ii 

Docks. 

. 14 

3 

Billets. 


¥ 

Lines. 


i 

Billets. 

. 9 

i 



















No. 15. 


Wagon Harness with Adjustable Trees. 

BRIDLES. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown pieces. 24 if 

Split at ends. 6 f and j- 

Cheeks. 3 ° i 

Throat latches, long. 20 f 

short. 12 f 

Fronts. 22 f 

Round reins. 22 1 

rounded. 16 

Centerpieces. 60 { 

Winker brace. 11 1 

Winker, wing pattern. 7 4 

PADS, ETC. 

Hame tugs. 36 if 

With cockeyes and chains 76 

Adjustable trees, No. 6. 

Pad skirt. 16 3f 

Layer, also to line billets. 20 ij 

Billets. 16 if 

Bottoms. 18 6 

Belly band folds. 18 5 

Chapes. 7 if 

Billets. 16 if 





















WAGON HARNESS WITH ADJUSTABLE TREES. 93 

BREECHING. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Body folds. 39 5 

Layers. 48 if 

Tugs. 12 f- 

Side straps. 72 f- 

Hip straps. 26 if 

Split. 20 

Crupper body. 16 if 

Split. 8 

Dock, folded. 14 2f 

Back straps, to sew in rump rings.. 42 1 

Breast straps. 56 if 

Holdbacks*. 50 if 

Hame and carrying straps. 22 f- 

TRIMMINGS. 

2 pairs common low top wooden hames, 

2 bits, 

4 if-inch cockeyes, 

6 if-inch breeching rings, 

4 i-inch “ . “ 

4 |-inch 

12 if-inch buckles, 

2 if-inch “ 

20 f-inch “ 

16 f-inch “ 

4 if-inch trace buckles, 

4 gag swivels. 














No. 16. 


Adjustable Pad Double Harness, to be 

USED ALSO AS SINGLE HARNESS. 
BRIDLES. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown piece... 24 ij 

Split. 7 i t 

Cheek pieces. 16 £ 

Bit straps. 10 £ 

Fronts... .. 22 1 

Throat straps. 20 £ 

Facepieces. 23 1 

Split. »ioj- 

Winker braces. 13 1 

Split, rounded. 7 

Winkers. 4f 

Check reins. 22 £ 

Centerpieces. 56 £ 

ADJUSTABLE PADS. 

Skirts. 20 

Points. 14 1 

Pads. 6 

Backhands. 33 1 

TRACES, ETC. 

Traces. 78 i£ 

Hame tugs. 10 ij 

Belly bands, folded. 19 3! 

Chapes. 6 1 























ADJUSTABLE PAD DOUBLE 

HARNESS. 

95 

Martingales, folded. 

Length, 

inches. 

.... 30 

Width, 

inches. 

3 

Billets, collar. 

.... 16 

7 

¥ 

Points. 

.... 10 

5 

8 

Pole straps. 

. 48 

1* 

Yoke straps. 

. 48 

I* 

BREECHINGS. 

Body fold. 

.... 39 

3 f 

Layers. 

.... 45 

I ¥ 

Tugs, long. 

. 12 

¥ 

short. 


5 

8 

Hip straps. 

. ... 26 

¥ 

Back straps. 


i 

Reins. 

.... 78 

7 

¥ 


TRIMMINGS. 

2 pair low top wood hames, 

2 adjustable trees, 

4 i f-inch trace buckles, 

4 if-inch roller buckles—for breast and neck- 
straps, 

14 i-inch buckles, 

6 f-inch “ 

24 f-inch “ 

4 breeching rings, 

8 f-inch rings. 














No. 17. 


Pennsylvania Wagon 

Harness. 


BRIDLES. 




Length, 

Width, 


inches. 

inches. 

Crown pieces . 

.... 22 

ii 

Cheek pieces, long billet side.. 

. 48 


short billet side. 

. 36 

H 

Throat latch . 


i 

Nose band. 

. 18 

H 

Winker straps. 

.... 12 


Split. 

.... 9 


Front . 


ii 

Winkers . 

. Si 

O 

5 

Check reins . 

. 78 

1 

Bit straps . 


7 

¥ 

BREECHING. 



Butt pieces . 

. 56 

4 

Hip pieces . 

. 58 

4 

Cross pieces . 

. 62 

l i 

Side straps . 

. 54 


Braces . 

. 24 

3 

Hip straps .. 

. 36 




















PENNSYLVANIA WAGON HARNESS. 97 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Back band. . 46 4 

Chapes. 14 3 

Short-top stay. 8 i£ 

Back strap. 66 3 

Split. 8 

Chapes, for square on rump. 8 2 

Dock, folded. 15 2 i 

Belly band, long side. 34 1 i 

Billet. 24 i£ 

Carrying straps. 22 -} 

Hame straps. 22 $ 

Chain pipes. 3 ° 5 

TRIMMINGS. 

2 pair hook hames, high top, 

4 trace chains, 

4 large rings, or D’s, for breeching, 

2 bits, 

2 i^-inch buckles—breast strap, 

2 triangles for rump, 

6 ij-inch buckles, 

2 ij-inch “ 

16 -J-inch 11 

2 i-inch “ 

4 f-inch “ 













No. 18. 


Stage Harness. 


bridles. 

Length, 

inches. 

Crown pieces. 24 

Split. 7 

Cheeks. 30 

Throat latches. 22 

Winker straps. 13 

Split.. 8 

Front. 22 

Made up. 12 

Reins, in one piece. 78 

PADS, ETC. 

Tops. 36 

Points cut down to. 

Tugs and belly band billets combined 30 

Centerpiece. 9 

Belly band folds. 30 

Chapes. 7 

T races. 64 

Stay loops, sewed in the trace. 12 

Breast straps. 56 


Width, 

inches. 


T 1 


T 

n 


f 


L i 

T 1 


5 

2 



















STAGE HARNESS. 


99 



Length, 

inches. 

Width, 

inches. 

Holdbacks . 

. . 42 

* 

Billets. 

.. 15 


Collar straps. 


I 

Chapes. 1 . 

... 6 

I 

Hame straps. 


3 

8 

Carrying straps. 

.. 22 

i 

BREECHINGS. 



Folds . 


5 

Layers . 

.. 48 


Tners . 

12 




0 

Breeching straps . 


7 

8 

Back straps, or turnbacks . 

.. 56 

n 

Crupper bodies . 

16 

H 

Split . 

.. 8 


Dock, folds . 



Hip straps . 


If 

Split . 

.. 20 



TRIMMINGS. 


2 pairs high top Concord hames, 

2 bridle bits, 

2 pairs two-foot chains with D ends, 
14 if-inch buckles, 

2 i^-inch “ 

16 |-inch “ 

2 i-inch “ 

20 f-inch “ 

6 1 f-inch breeching rings, 

6 if-inch “ 

4 i-inch “ 

4 g a g swivels. 


















No. 19. 


Bitting Harness, 
bridle. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Crown piece. 24 2 

Split. 7 

Cheeks.... 13 

Billets. 9 

Throat latch. 22 f 

Front. 24 1 

Made up. 12 

Throat latch. 22 f 

Swivel strap. 18 f 

Gag rein, long side. 66 -J 

rounded. 16 

short side. 24 -J 

rounded. 16 

Side reins. 42 12 

Billets. 9 

Martingale to buckle back. 54 ij 

Split. 15 

Surcingle, web... 63 

padded. 16 

Billets on broad web. 24 1 

Chapes.*. 6 1 























BITTING HARNESS. 


IOI 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 


Pad layer and billets. 18 i 

Side chapes. 21 1 

Turnback, sewed in rump ring. 42 1 

Crupper body. 16 i 4 

Split. 8 

Dock. 16 2 \ 


TRIMMINGS. 

1 bit, 

2 martingale rings, 

1 i 1 -inch ring, 

3 i^-inch rings, 

5 ij-inch buckles, 

10 i-inch “ 

3 J-inch “ 

5 f-inch “ 

In making up, measure off 24 inches from the 
billet end of the web for the center of the pad, 
which should be 16 inches long; sew on the 
chape for the billet, and turn back the ring 
across the center of the pad ; measure off from 
the center 22 inches on each side for the side 
check, chapes of ring, and buckles; buckle back 
the rump stay strap with a reverse buckle and 
slip loops. 








No. 20. 


Cart Harness. 

* BREECHING. 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Body. 75 4 

Layer, to extend to ring”. 64 2 \ 

Hip strap. 54 i{ 

Tugs. 14 ii 

Kidney strap.„. 58 i{ 

Tugs. 14 ii 

Back strap..*. 34 ij 

Safe-piece. 14 4 

Layer or buckle piece. 14 1£ 

Belly band, long. 60 2\ 

Billet. 24 2% 

Bridte same as stage harness, No. 18. 

TRIMMINGS. 

i saddle tree, 

I pair hook hames, 

1 back chain, 

2 holdback chains, 

2 trace chains, 

2 loop end pins for breeching, 

I 2i-inch ring for rump, 

4 ij-inch rings, 

6 i-inch buckles, 

8 {-inch “ 

1 2 \ inch buckle, 

1 i^--inch “ 

1 i{-inch “ 

1 plain ring bit. 













No. 21. 


Mule Harness. 

BRIDLES. 

Length, Width, 
i aches. inches. 

Crown pieces. 24 1 \ 

Split. 7 

Cheeks. 3° 

Throat latches. 22 

Winker straps. 13 1 

Split. 8 

Front. 22 1 

Reins, in one piece. 78 

PADS. 

Top. 34 if 

Belly band folds. 18 5 

Chapes. 7 ii 

Hame tugs. 32 i£ 

Breeching fold. 34 5 

Hip straps. 24 if 

Split. 18 

Side straps... 62 -J 

Turnback. 5 2 1 


>Hco CC|K »^Jw 3cj-J 



















NO. 22. 


Short Tug Butt Chain Harness. 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 


Hame tugs, to sew in side loops. 36 13 

Short tugs for chains. 52 13 

Pad fold. 20 6 

Layer, to include billet linings 48 ij 

Center lay for back strap. 8 1 

Biidle reins. 78 f- 

All other parts the same as No. 16. 

TRIMMINGS. 


2 pairs of common high top hames, 
2 common bits, 

4 breeching loops for tugs, 

2 pairs of butt chains, 

6 if-inch breeching rings, 

4 1-inch 
4 f-inch 

12 13-inch buckles, 

2 13-inch “ 

20 3-mch “ 

16 J-inch “ 

4 1 J-inch trace bucklea. 







Trimmings for Carriage-Harness. 


No. i. 
Page 64. 

2 if or 1 J-inch terrets, 

1 bolt-hook to match, 

2 J-inch shaft-tug buckles, 

9 J-inch buckles, 

10 J-inch “ 

6 J-inch roller-buckles, 

2 gag-swivels, 

2 1 J-inch breeching-rings, 

2 ij-inch martingale-rings, 

1 half-cheek trotting-snaffle, 

2 -J-inch rings, 

4 saddle-nails. 

No. 2. 
Page 66. 

2 ij-inch terrets, 

1 No. 4 bolt-hook, 

1 No. 2 fly terret, 

1 front, 

2 rosettes, 

2 J-inch shaft-tug buckles, 

2 gag-swivels, 

2 ij-inch breeching-rings, 

2 ij-inch martingale-rings, 


106 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


4 f-inch roller-buckles, 

2 f-inch rein-buckles, 

8 f-inch bridle-buckles, 

3 f-inch buckles, 

5 f-inch roller-buckles, 

2 f-inch buckles, 

2 f-inch rings, 
i half-cheek snaffle. 


No. 3. 
Page 68. 

2 if or if inch ferrets, 

1 bolt-hook to match, 

2 1-inch trace-buckles, 

2 1-inch shaft-tug buckles, 

9 f-inch buckles, 

7 f-inch “ 

5 f-inch “ 

2 f-inch rein-buckles, 

2 i-inch roller-buckles, 

2 if-inch martingale-rings, 
2 if-inch breeching-rings, 

1 snaffle-bit, 

2 gag-swivels, 

2 f-inch rings, 

4 saddle-nails. 

No. 4. 

Page 70. 

1 pair ff-inch hames, 

2 if or 1 f-inch terrets, 

1 bolt-hook to match, 

2 1 f-inch trace-buckles. 


TRIMMINGS FOR CARRIAGE-HARNESS. 


2 i-inch shafttug buckles, 

4 finch roller-buckles, 

3 finch buckles, 

5 finch 

12 finch “ 

2 gag-swivels, 

1 fly-terret, 

2 ifinch breeching-rings, 

2 if-inch martingale-rings, 

2 rosettes, 

i snaffle-bit. 

No. 5. 

Page 72. 

1 pair finch hames, 

2 i-S or if inch terrets, 

1 bolt-hook to match, 

1 fly-terret to match, 

2 ifinch trace-buckles, 

2 ifinch shaft-tug buckles, 

4 finch roller-buckles, 

2 ifinch 

I finch buckle, 

6 finch buckles, 

II finch “ 

1 Hanoverian or scroll bit, 

2 rosettes, 

1 chain or link front, 

2 gag-runners (hooks and eyes), 
2 ifinch breeching-rings, 

2 finch rings, . 

4 saddle-nails. . 


108 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


No. 6. 
Page 74. 

1 pair T 9 F -inch hames, 

2 if or if inch terrets, 

2 fly or post hooks to match, 
2 fly-terrets, 

4 i-inch trace-buckles, 

8 pad-screws, 

6 f-inch roller-buckles, 

4 f-inch “ 

8 i-inch “ 

2 f-inch buckles, 

2 f-inch “ 

24 f-inch “ 

4 f-inch rings, 

2 Hanoverian or snaffle bits, 

2 hame-rings, 

4 gag-runners. 

No. 7. 
Page 76. 

1 pair f-inch hames, 

4 if or if inch terrets, 

2 fly-hooks to match, 

2 fly-terrets, 

4 1 f-inch trace-buckles, 

4 f-inch roller-buckles, 

4 f-inch “ 

2 f-inch buckles, 

4 f-inch “ 


TRIMMINGS FOR CARRIAGE-HARNESS. 


IO9 


2 scroll or Hanoverian bits, 

4 rosettes, 

4 gag-runners, 

2 hame-rings, 

2 crupper-loops, 

4 f-inch rings, 

8 pad-screws. 

No. 8. 

Page 78. 

1 pair f-inch hames, 

4 if or if inch terrets, 

2 fly or post hooks, 

2 fly-terrets, 

4 1 f-inch center-bar loop trace-buckles, 

4 i-inch tug-buckles, 

8 f-inch roller-buckles, 

30 f-inch buckles, 

8 f-inch “ 

4 f-inch rings, 

2 stiff scroll or Hanoverian bits, 

2 Bradoon bits, 

4 Bradoon swivels, 

4 gag-swivels (hooks ana links), 

2 hame-rings, 

12 pad-screws, 

2 crupper-loops, 

4 pad-loops. 

Nos. 9 and 10. 

Pages 80 and 82. 

The trimmings for these harness are the same 
as for the regular sets of double or single, with 


IIO THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


the exception of the ring-rosettes for the bridles 
of the pole or shaft horses. 

No. ii. 

Page 84. 

1 pair J-inch hames, 

2 1 J-inch terrets, 

1 post or bolt hook to match, 

1 fly-terret, 

2 ij-inch trace-buckles, 

2 1 J-inch shaft-tug buckles, 

6 if-inch roller-buckles, 

5 i-inch buckles, 

1 J-inch roller-buckle, 

14 J-inch buckles, 

1 plain ring-bit, 

2 rosettes, 

2 gag-runners, 

2 if-inch breeching-rings, 

2 martingale-rings, 

1 plain front, 

2 J-inch rings, 

4 saddle-nails. 


No. 12. 
Page 86. 

1 pair J-inch hames, 

2 ij-inch terrets, 

1 post or bolt hook, 

1 fly-terret, 

2 1 J-inch trace-buckles, 


TRIMMINGS FOR CARRIAGE-HARNESS. 


2 i^-inch shaft-tug buckles, 
6 i-J-inch roller-buckles, 

4 i-inch buckles, 
i i-inch roller-buckle, 
i if-inch buckles, 

1 ring-bit, 

2 rosettes, 

2 gag-runners, 

2 if-inch breeching-rings, 

I band-front, 

4 saddle-nails. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR 
SINGLE HARNESS. 

HE man who performs his work well and 



A quickly, possesses a capital which can always 
be invested to good advantage to himself and his 
employer; while the lack of the necessary skill 
and knowledge to accomplish these results acts as 
a serious drawback to success. In almost every 
factory there are those who, if they had received 
proper instruction when learning their trade, 
would have made first-class mechanics, but who, 
because of neglect on their own part, or on that 
of their instructors, lack confidence in themselves 
when brought in contact with others, and are 
content to hold secondary positions, passing 
through life without benefit to their profession 
or profit to themselves. Want of system is the 
great underlying fault, and is the principal reason 
why success is so seldom attained. 

The journeyman who works at his bench in a 
careless, hap-hazard manner can not perform his 
part well, and is almost certain to interfere with 
the labor of those near him, while by his example 
he inculcates in the minds of the apprentices the 
same disregard for order and system as exhibited 



BREAST COLLAR, SINGLE HARNESS 



























































MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR SINGLE HARNESS. 113 


by himself, thus working a permanent injury to 
all with whom he comes in contact. 

There is on the part of mechanics a general 
disinclination to listen to advice based upon 
theory, and from a knowledge of this fact the 
author has prepared the following practical in¬ 
structions in harness making in its various parts, 
believing the end sought could better be accom¬ 
plished in this way than in any other. While it 
is not to be expected that the rules here laid 
down can be followed in every particular, it is 
believed that there is much that will be found 
instructive and useful even to the most ex¬ 
perienced journeyman, and which if studied by 
the apprentice, or the journeyman who has been 
deprived of opportunities to learn his business in 
•detail, will serve to advance them far more 
rapidly towards a mastery of their trade than if 
they depended solely upon the ideas and practices 
acquired at the work-bench. 

The instructions given for making up a single 
harness will serve as a general guide which may 
be followed in almost every case, as they point 
out the routine to be followed and the manner of 
handling the stock. 

To facilitate the execution of the labor and 
secure good results, the workman must so fit up 
the various parts that the stitcher can perform 
one class of work at a time; it will not do to call 
upon him to stitch a round, then a loop, followed 
by folds and other parts. As far as possible the 
rounds should be prepared at one time, the 


114 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

breeching, hip, turnback, and other plain straps 
at another, then the folds, loops, laps, and all 
other parts where there is any considerable work 
of a kind, each by themselves, not perhaps in the 
order named, but in such a manner that each 
particular class of work can be done without 
interfering with another. In the following in¬ 
structions for fitting up a single harness, the 
rotation is such as to cause but little annoyance 
to the stitcher, while at the same time the fitter 
is not compelled to wait for any thing. 

The plan here detailed is that followed in a 
factory where the leather is cut out and given to 
the fitter, and the stitching done by men who do 
nothing else. The leather being on the work¬ 
bench, the first act is to wet all the stock thor¬ 
oughly in blood-warm water, but care must be 
taken to expose it to moisture long enough to 
draw the oil to the surface; then skive down all 
the straps or parts thereof that are to be made 
up into rounds, such as the winker brace, gag 
runners, center of breast collar, shaft tugs, and 
crupper dock. Slick them out and lay them 
aside to dry, then with a sharp spokeshave re¬ 
move the flesh quite closely from the crown 
piece, check rein billets, belly band billets, center- 
piece, and cheeks; slick them out, apply a thick 
coat of clean tallow, and lay them aside to dry 
where they will not be exposed to the sun or to 
the heat from a stove, as such exposure will turn 
the stock dark and cause the tallow to spew.. 
The fleshing is not necessary on fine stock, but 


MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR SINGLE HARNESS. 115 

where it is requisite it should be done at this 
time. Next skive the breeching, belly band, 
breast collar, and neck piece layers, slick them 
out and lay them aside to dry; then skive down 
the trace fillings or raise to the required thick¬ 
ness, and take the edges down thin with a wide 
edge tool. Next proceed to skive down the top 
and bottom, and slick them out, after which raise 
the top and paste in the filling (avoid using more 
paste than is absolutely necessary), moisten the 
top of the trace with a damp sponge and rub it 
down with a bone, reverse the straps so that the 
butts will run up on the outside and down on the 
inside, then paste on the bottom, wet it in the 
same manner as directed for the top, rub it down 
with a bone, and then rub the trace well with a 
rag: this will give the grain a fine, soft finish that 
can not be secured in any other way. Then skive 
down the tops and bottoms of the breeching 
straps, slick them out, block,* crease, and punch 
holes in the bottom for the buckles; take the 
edges down on the bottom to form the raise on 
the top, raise the latter, and paste down for a 
distance of four feet; skive the tops and bottoms 
of the hip straps, slick them out, and take down 
the edges of the bottoms to form the raise for the 
tops ; cut them off three feet eight inches long, 
round the ends, paste on the tops, and rub them 
with a bone and rag; lay them aside, and when 
they are sufficiently dry so that the paste will not 
move they are ready to sink, but do not dry them 
in the sun or near the fire, as such heat will 


1 16 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

harden the stock and cause the paste to dry un¬ 
evenly. 

Next fit up the shaft tug—eight inches for a 
seven-eighth inch tug—the straps being cut one 
and one eighth inches wide. Take off one eighth 
of an inch on each edge of the portion to be 
fitted up, raise and fill in the remaining portion 
so as to take up the quarter inch that was trim¬ 
med off the outside, channel the inside so that the 
stitches will be buried out of sight, and lay them 
aside to dr}^. Now fit the dock, mark off and 
cut it out, crease the edges with a fine crease, 
prick off twelve inches, take the edges down 
quite thin and bend the two together. Next fit 
the rounds, commencing with those for the gag 
runners and following with those for the throat 
latch and breast collar. Take the edge off the 
full length of the part to be rounded, and chan¬ 
nel with a small round knife from the edge. The 
gag runners for a half-inch bridle require to be 
channeled four inches, the center-piece for a 
breast collar four and one half inches, and the 
throat latch sixteen inches ; hammer the straps 
down, and fill them if they require it. 

The winker brace is the next strap to be pre¬ 
pared. The billet is four and one half inches 
long; raise and crease it, hammer up the rounds 
(which are seven and three quarter inches long), 
line the billet, and allow the end of the lining to 
enter the round one inch ; have the latter stitch¬ 
ed, paste the billet down, and crease it when dry. 
Next prepare the breeching tugs. The round 


MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR SINGLE HARNESS. II7 

for the front one should be channeled three and 
three quarter inches, the back one four inches ; 
black the part which passes around the rings, 
prick in the center, and tack in the rings. Follow 
these by the martingale. Mark off three quarters 
of an inch from the end to round in, then five 
inches for laps, channel seven inches, raise, 
crease, and black the laps; mark out, cut, and 
crease the layers; hammer up and fill the rounds, 
and have them stitched ; then prick off the laps 
and have them stitched. Next fit up the turn¬ 
back. First mark off two inches for the laps on 
the ends of the dock billets ; channel seven inches 
for the rounds ; raise the laps, then mark off and 
cut out the wave, skive down the edges, hammer 
up the rounds, and fit the lining, allowing it to 
extend down so as to form the filling for the 
rounds ; have the latter stitched, round them up, 
and paste up the turnback ; when dry, mark off 
the wave the full length, and sink the crease for 
the stitching. Go over all lined straps and turn¬ 
back, after having marked off the wave or other 
pattern, with a sharp tickler, then heat the heavy 
sinker and finish the sinking. Slick the tallow 
off the crown and center pieces, cheeks, belly- 
band and check rein billets, and spokeshave the 
edges to clean them thoroughly. Then fit up the 
check reins, round the points of the billets, take 
a light edge off the flesh side, but do not disturb 
the grain ; dampen the edges with a sponge and 
water, rub them with a bone until they are 
smooth, and, when dry, black, and rub them with 


Il8 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

prepared tallow, composed of one third part 
beeswax and two third parts pure beef tallow ; 
rub them with a bone and then with a rag, so 
that the flesh side will be kept clean, crease the 
edges with a hot iron, crease and apply a little 
gum tragacanth (prepared by dissolving the gum 
in water and adding good black ink to give it 
color and preserve it), then rub with a bone. 

Proceed in like manner to fit up and finish the 
centercheck, belly band billets, cheek billets, and 
crown-piece billets, after which prepare the stock 
for the round check reins. First measure off 
three inches for laps at billet ends, next fourteen 
inches for rounds, then four and one half inches 
for laps at rings, and three quarters of an inch to 
round in ; cut the laps at the ring down to full 
one half inch in the center, and taper each way; 
leave the full substance where the leather turns 
round the rings, hammer up and fill the rounds, 
and have them stitched before fitting up the 
laps. Then mark off and cut out the patent 
leather winkers, frogs, etc. Scratch the lines for 
stitching, black over, and rub in a little tallow 
where scratched, and go over with a heavy sinker, 
which will tend to improve the appearance after 
the stitching is done. Paste up the winkers, but 
be careful to avoid wetting the patent leather, as 
the water will cause it to lose its fine gloss ; stitch 
up the joining seam, leaving about three quarters 
of an inch on the top edge near the corner for the 
winker strap ; apply a little paste to the inside 
of the winker plate, shove it in between the lin- 


MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR SINGLE HARNESS. 119 

ing and the patent leather, and rub down on the 
outside with a gig or “ jakee,” then apply a little 
paste to the inside where it goes between the 
cheek straps, and tack down on a board to dry. 
When thoroughly dry, trim off with a knife and 
spokeshave the edges; dampen them with a 
sponge and rub with a bone, allowing the leather 
to become dry before blacking. After being 
blacked, tack the winker in its place between the 
cheek-straps. Next mark out by the patterns 
the layers for the breeching, breast collar, neck 
piece, belly bands, and crown piece, cut them out 
and take down the edges with a wide edge-tool, 
then spokeshave them to remove the ridges, wet 
and raise them on the raise block, rub off with a 
rag, crease with a double creaser, and then go 
over them with a sinker ; when dry, black the 
edges and prick off. Cut out and raise the safes 
for the breast collars and belly bands, paste them 
on the folds, and when nearly dry double crease 
them ; prick off when dry, have them stitched 
and afterwards trim them off, wet all the folds, 
hammer them down, put in the filling, sew up, 
crease the edges, and tack them on the layers. 

Finishing up the rounds is the next thing in 
order. Wet them and trim off the fillings, ham¬ 
mer down and pull them through the rounder, 
clean off with a spokeshave if necessary, black 
them, rub on a little tallow, pull them through 
the rounder again, and rub them down with a 
wooden rounder and a little gum. Wet the 
docks, hammer down the seams over a wire, stuff 


120 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

with flaxseed, working it down with a wire, trim 
the edge with an edge tool, black it, and rub 
down with a wooden creaser to fit the seam ; 
bend the dock to the required shape, and lay it 
aside to dry. 

Next punch the breeching, hip straps, and 
turnbacks, wet them, slick down the stitching 
from the back side, and rub the tops with a rag ; 
crease the edges over with a hot iron creaser; 
trim the projecting edges of the turnback lining 
with a round knife, then take off a heavy edge 
with a spokeshave, and trim with a straight knife 
where it is necessary; dampen the edges with a 
moist sponge, and rub smooth with a bone ; when 
dry, black them and rub on a little tallow, 
after which rub with a bone and a rag, and finish 
with a bone and a little gum. When the dock 
becomes dry, polish it with a hot burnisher and 
tack it on the turnback; have the laps stitched, 
trim and finish them up. Then trim and finish 
the shaft tugs, and polish the insides with a bur¬ 
nisher. Trim and finish the cheeks, put in the 
winker brace and stitch it. Trim the traces, 
punch and then wet them, slick them on the 
back, hammer the edges down with a “snob” or 
shoemaker’s hammer, and square them with a 
spokeshave ; then with a heavy edge tool take the 
edge off the top and bottom, spokeshave them, 
trim the ends and around the dart holes with a 
straight knife, dampen the edges and rub them 
down with an awl handle (one that will fit the 
trace); when dry, black the edges, rub on the tab 


MAKING UP A BREAST COLLAR SINGLE HARNESS. 12 1 


low, and again rub with the awl handle; then 
rub off with a rag and afterwards with the awl 
handle and a little gum. Next finish the folds 
by wetting the backs with a moist sponge, then 
slick them down, wet the tops a little and rub 
them down with a rag, crease the edges of the 
layers with a hot creaser, and recrease the folds. 
This completes the harness in detail, and offers a 
perfectly accurate guide for a workman, whether 
working by himself or in a factory. 

Uniformity can be obtained only by the use 
of good patterns, and it is to the interest of every 
harness maker that they be kept in good condi¬ 
tion. To do this, cut them out of paper and 
paste them on thin, stiff patent leather, then, when 
the paste is dry, cut the leather to the shape of 
the paper patterns. All patterns for breechings, 
breast collars, neck pieces, belly bands, turnbacks, 
martingales, and crown pieces should be cut to 
the full length, and if cut at the same time to the 
required width it will obviate the necessity of 
moving them while marking off on the leather. 
The pattern for the trace wave should be cut one 
half the length of the trace. 


CHAPTER IX. 


MAKING SINGLE STRAP TRACK HARNESS. 

HE single strap track harness owes its origin 



JL to the demand for a light, close-fitting, medi¬ 
um priced article for use on the trotting course. 
Originally the collar and traces only were made 
of single straps, the breeching and other parts 
being made in the usual manner. The superi¬ 
ority of this method of making the collar, how¬ 
ever, soon became so apparent that the breech¬ 
ings and all other portions were made to corre¬ 
spond, and now few harness made up in other 
ways are used on the trotting tracks, while very 
many of this style can be seen upon trotters on 
the roads and pleasure drive?, and so popular 
have they become that there are few sections of 
the country where they are not used to a greater 
or less extent. 

Notwithstanding their being made up of single 
thickness of leather and in the plainest manner, 
the exercise of more than ordinary skill and at¬ 
tention is required to perfect them, as in their 
make-up they represent the minimum amount of 
weight, and yet must of necessity possess great 
strength. This result can be attained only by 





HAME COLLAR, SINGLE HARNESS. 

























































MAKING SINGLE STRAP TRACK HARNESS. 


123 


using leather of the best quality. Sides of un¬ 
even substance can not be employed to good ad¬ 
vantage, owing to the fact that much of the strong¬ 
est portion of the leather is necessarily wasted 
in reducing all the straps to a uniform thickness. 
Young steer-hides weighing about sixteen 
pounds to the side are the best: they not only 
give better satisfaction when made up, but they 
are more economical, owing to the small amount 
of waste incurred. But even with these sides 
only the backs should be used, as strength is the 
great end to be sought after. 

Having selected a side possessing the requisite 
qualifications, cut from the strongest portion the 
traces and all other straps except those for the 
breast collar, breeching, and bridle. These can 
be cut from lighter sides, those weighing from ten 
to twelve pounds being the best. When the 
single strap harness were first manufactured the 
breast collar and breeching bodies were cut from 
regular weight stock, and the edges skived off 
from the underside, but experience has shown 
that lighter sides are much more suitable, the 
leather being more pliant and stronger in pro¬ 
portion to its weight, the strapping when made 
up sets closer to the horse, and the edges do not 
roll after being in use for a short time. This lat¬ 
ter qualification is of the greatest importance, and 
should of itself cause the use of light leather. 

When extra fine curried leather can not be 
procured, well tanned stock, treated as has been 
directed on page 55, will answer for all but the 


124 THE harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 

finest grades, as it will possess the requisite 
strength, and in many cases can be given a fine 
finish. Let the leather be what it may, however, 
the flesh side should be well cleaned off and 
worked down with a slicker, as the slightest 
roughness would detract from the appearance of 
the harness, while adding to the possibility of 
injury to the horse from chafing. 

The most important parts of this harness are 
shown by the sectional drawings on page 125. I 
represents a section of the breast-collar, with 
trace attached. The trace, A, is of single thick¬ 
ness ; the lap on the body is eleven inches long, 
cut as shown or to some other ornamental pat¬ 
tern. The ring to which the neck strap tug is 
attached is placed five inches from the end of 
the body; the trace is stitched on with from ten 
to fourteen stitches to the inch according to the 
grade of the harness. The neck strap tug is 
quite short, and is provided with a three eighth 
inch loop above the buckle, and a seven eighth 
inch loop below. When made up to measure, the 
tug is often dispensed with, the neck strap being 
stitched to the ring, thus doing away with the 
buckles. In the finer grades the traces and 
bodies are neatly creased. The common quali¬ 
ties are in some instances made up without 
creasing, while in others the imitation stitch 
wheel is used for the purpose of ornamenting. 
The latest freak is to mark off in the same man¬ 
ner as though the layers were full length, and to 
lay up the ornaments in imitation of layers. The 


MAKING SINGLE STRAP TRACK HARNESS 


I 2 





o 








V! 



Ol 

























































126 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

plain strap is, however, the most popular, looks 
the neatest, and is more easily kept clean. 

A section of the breeching is shown by II, to¬ 
gether with the breeching tug and buckle chape. 
The layer, A, is twelve inches long when made 
up. The end at the breeching ring is skived off 
so that the ring lap will be smooth and true. 
The tugs or braces, C, are most commonly 
rounded, but plain flat straps are also used; 
these are doubled and stitched, as they would 
neither be sufficiently strong nor keep their shape 
if of single thickness; the ring for securing the 
back tug is placed about eight inches from the 
breeching ring. The buckle chape, D, is pro¬ 
vided with a loop over as well as below the 
buckle, though in cheap grades this may be omit¬ 
ted. 

A half section of the neck strap is shown by 
III. This is cut of plain leather, the end is cut 
straight a distance of about six inches, above 
which there is a waved section five inches lon£, 
the remaining portion being straight, but a little 
wider at the centre than at the top of the wave. 
There is no stitching to be done on this strap, 
but a crease is run around it near the edge. 

A section of the outside belly band, or shaft 
girth, is shown by IV. The billet, A, is stitched 
to the body with the flesh side out, the buckle 
being laid under between the billet and the body, 
B, so that when the former is wrapped around 
the shaft, the grain side will be out. One end of 
the short belly band is shown by V. The buckle 


MAKING SINGLE STRAP TRACK HARNESS. 


12? 


chape is stitched on far enough below end to a*l- 
low the latter to act as a safe. The safety-strap, 
a most important feature of a harness of this 
kind, is shown by VI. It is in fact an extra back- 
band, cut in one piece and placed over the sad¬ 
dle, with the ends buckled into the shaft tug 
buckles or into extra shaft-tugs, the former, 
however, being the most convenient form of at¬ 
tachment. The holes, A, are cut sufficiently 
large to allow the rein terrets to pass through 
them. In some cases the safety-strap is made 
up of a single thickness of leather throughout, 
but in others a lining about twelve inches long is 
stitched on to strengthen the strap at the terret- 
holes. 

The whiffletree ends of the traces are lined for 
about one foot, or three or four inches more than 
the space occupied by the dart-holes. This is 
generally done by turning back the extra stock, 
the trace being cut the full length of the side. 
Three dart holes are cut in, about two inches 
apart, and the lined section, as well as the edges 
of the dart-holes, are stitched. 

The bridle used is generally a half-inch flat 
strap with small square winkers and a full or half 
Kemble Jackson check. All the straps on the 
harness require to be neatly rounded on the 
edges, and blacked and finished on the flesh sides. 

This harness is represented by Plate i, en¬ 
graved from a photograph of the celebrated trot- 
ting-mare Goldsmith Maid. The lengths and 
widths for cutting are given in table No. i. 


CHAPTER X. 

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. 

I N making up team-harness there is as good an 
opportunity for a workman to display genius 
in designing and skill in execution as there is in 
making the most elaborate coach or fine, light 
carriage harness. The difference, however, being 
that in the one skill in decorating as well as in 
finishing are the primary points to be considered, 
while in the other adaptability, strength, and fit 
are first to be secured, after which attention may 
be turned to finishing and trimming. The idea 
is by far too prevalent that it requires but little 
skill to make a farm harness, and unskilled, cheap 
workmen are employed who could not make up 
carriage harness of any kind. A good, careful 
mechanic will not only make the team harness 
better than the careless one, but he will, with no 
more expense, give it a much finer finish, thus 
producing a more salable and durable article. 

In selecting stock, be governed by the di¬ 
rections laid down in Chapter I. Having chos¬ 
en a side suitable for the weight of harness to 
be made, proceed to cut out the various straps 
by first straightening the back, and measuring off 
a strip from 18 to 20 inches wide ; draw a line 
with a straight edge, and cut the side in two 



TEAM HARNESS 




















































DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. 129 

pieces; the back will contain the heaviest and 
firmest part of the leather, the belly and flanks 
that which is softer and more uneven. Before 
cutting out the straps examine the grain as well 
as the flesh side carefully, to see that there are 
no cuts or imperfect spots; too much care can 
not be taken in this respect, as a blemish, no mat¬ 
ter how slight, will show after the leather is wet 
up and while being worked. If the harness to 
be cut is a heavy one select a large spread side 
which will weigh from twenty to twenty-two 
pounds, cut the traces and all other straps which 
receive the strain, from the back, the folds, chapes, 
etc., from the belly part. The traces should be 
cut 76 inches long and if inches wide; if the 
leather is even and of suitable thickness, filling 
will not be necessary. The breast and pole 
straps should be cut next after the traces, the for¬ 
mer 66 inches long and if inches wide, the latter 
54 inches long and if inches wide. After the 
buckle is sewed on, slip on a ring for the collar- 
strap. Cut the collar strap 34 inches long and 
1 inch wide. Use wrought-iron cockeyes for the 
traces, and in addition to the stitching secure 
each buckle and ring chape with copper rivets ; 
these relieve the stitching from much of the 
strain that would otherwise be put upon it. 
Cut the hame tugs from heavy, even leather of 
equal strength with that used in the traces; they 
should be 18 inches long after being fitted up, 
and of the same width as the trace ; the laps 
should not be less than 3 inches long. Use firm 


I30 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

leather for the loops, channel on the back to al¬ 
low the stitches to sink below the surface, and 
trim the edges a slight bevel. Cut the bottom 
hame strap of good, firm leather, 26 inches long 
and 1 inch wide; the top strap, 28 inches long and 
1 inch wide, of strong but more pliable stock, as 
it has to adjust itself to the shape of the top ol 
the collar pad. 

Pads for these harness are made up in a variety 
of ways, the old style soft pad being the most 
desirable. Cut the top of good, even, and mode¬ 
rately heavy stock 22 inches long and if inches 
wide, narrow the ends to ij inches, tapering up 
3|- inches; cut the ring piece 26 inches long by 
inches wide, and round up 5 inches in the cen¬ 
ter ; fit the ring piece to the pad top with the 
round well raised up, and place a martingale ring 
under the round for a tie strap ring; then stitch 
a ring on each end of the top. For the nut 
pieces cut straps 18 inches long and if- inches 
wide, of heavy, firm stock. At the ends of the 
round ring piece punch a hole for the pad-screw; 
3| inches from that point punch another for the 
back-strap loop. To make a showy pad, use a 
patent leather housing. 

The breeching folds should be cut from the 
smoothest part of the flank, and shaved down to 
an even thickness. If the harness-maker will treat 
the folds as directed in regard to rein leather, he 
can produce a broken grain which will look much 
better than the plain leather, and will not so read¬ 
ily show checks from use. Cut the fold fort}"- 


DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. I31 

four inches long and five inches wide. In all 
cases cut folds wider than the actual measure¬ 
ments, as the leather will narrow down in places 
while being worked ; they can be cut to the re¬ 
quired width, when ready for fitting up. Cut 
canvas of the requisite width and fill in the folds ; 
coat the leather on the flesh side with tallow, and 
also apply warm tallow to the fillings. This will 
secure a durable job. Cut the back strap five 
feet long and one and a quarter inches wide; 
split it fifty two inches, leaving a short part uncut 
to wrap around the ring. If the leather is not 
heavy, use a wear leather where the back strap is 
attached to the hame rings. Stitch the hip straps 
to the rump rings before fitting up the buckle- 
piece. If a pad-safe is used under the rump ring, 
cut it half an inch wider than the rump strap, 
stitch it on with the edges even, and leave the 
swell end open, to permit its being stuffed with 
hair. For lead-ups for the breeching, use a six 
and one half inch chape of sufficient width for the 
buckle; cut the layer eleven inches long and 
seven eighths of an inch wide, with a hole under 
the buckle for the hip strap points to pass through. 
Use one and three quarter rings for the breeching 
and one inch ring for the center lead up. 

Cut the side straps from the center of the side, 
as it is necessary that they be of even thickness. 
These should be six feet long and one inch wide, 
leaving six inches for the turnback ; fit up with 
two loops, and use a snap and a slide loop to hold 
the latter to its place. 


132 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

Make the belly bands of heavy folds, five and 
one half inches wide and eighteen inches long; 
lap the edges in the center, contracting the ends 
to the width of the buckle chapes ; stitch through 
the center with one row. 

The bridles, though plain, are a very important 
part of a harness of this kind, and the workman 
who slights them makes a great mistake. They 
need to be larger than other kinds, as the horses 
they are used upon are heavier. The fronts 
should be sufficiently long to allow the crown- 
pieces to lay one inch back of the root of the 
horses’ ears. A short front will draw the crown- 
pieces forward and spoil the set of the bridle. 
Fifteen to sixteen inches should be the length 
used. The length of the crown is another impor¬ 
tant consideration; under no circumstances should 
it be less than twelve inches between the billet 
splits, the whole length being twenty-four inches. 
The cheeks should be seven eighths of an inch 
and throat latch three quarters of an inch wide. 
Cut the former thirty inches long ; set the. buckle 
above the winker. The winker braces should 
be cut fifteen inches long, rounded nine inches ; 
cut the face piece twenty-one inches long, and 
split it ten and one half inches. All straps on the 
bridle other than the face and winker should be 
flat. Cut the inside checks sixty-one inches and 
outside checks twenty-six inches long, by three 
quarters of an inch wide; make up the outside 
with a ring for take-up. Use a plain leather 
winker, six by four and one half inches, with 


DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. 


round corners and an oval end. These wear bet¬ 
ter and are less liable to be damaged than the 
square winkers. 

Cut the lines from the best part of a side 
weighing about sixteen pounds ; see that there 
are no cuts on the grain or flesh side. Make 
them up flat, about twenty-four feet long and one 
inch wide. The inside or cross lines must be six 
feet six inches long ; billets, twelve inches long ; 
finish off the ends with a billet in such a manner 
that a snap can be attached if desired. 

The mountings, though of the plainest kind, 
must be strong, and in neglecting to procure 
those suited to the strain to be borne, harness- 
makers often entail pecuniary loss upon them¬ 
selves and injure their reputation. A weak 
buckle, ring, or hame, operates just as injuriously 
to the harness-maker as though the leather used 
was inferior in quality and the workmanship 
poor. The trace buckles are subjected to a se¬ 
vere test, and unless they are strong and per¬ 
fect they will not sustain the heavy strain put 
upon them. There are a variety of patent trace 
buckles in the market, and, owing to strong com¬ 
petition, prices have been very much reduced, so 
that manufacturers have been tempted to make 
them much lighter than they should be. It is ne¬ 
cessary, therefore, to examine them closely, and 
to buy the strongest and those most easily adjust¬ 
ed. The hames, which are of wood, should be 
strong and of good shape, provided with extra 
rings for split back strap and loose loops at the 
bottom. The small buckles should be strong and 


124 THE harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 

of a good pattern—that is, so shaped that the 
strap is not bent too much in passing through,.and 
the edges are not borne too heavily upon. The 
common wire horseshoe buckle, which is used 
more than any other, is the poorest article in the 
market. The “ Sensible” is a good buckle, and 
there are others which answer quite as well, a full 
description of which is given in the chapter on 
harness mountings. But of all the buckles made, 
there is none better than the large barrel roller- 
buckle for a draft harness: this possesses great 
strength, is easily loosened, and does not cut the 
strap in the least. 

The stitching throughout should be done with 
tvhite thread, as it is much stronger than black ; 
it can be colored easily when blacking up for 
finishing. Traces and tugs should have six or 
seven stitches ; all other straps eight or ten to 
the inch. Coarse stitching is the strongest, and 
accords best with heavy harness. 

The above instructions, though ostensibly for a 
team harness, can be followed in a general way in 
making up all kinds of draft harness. The follow¬ 
ing practical working guide will be understood 
by the workman. 

Before doing any thing toward fitting up, see 
that every strap is cut and laid upon the work¬ 
bench. First skive down all the folds, wet them 
and slick them out, cut them to the required 
lengths, and skive down and shape ends; fold 
them and hammer them down ; fill them with 
canvas, felt, or leather, and sew them up ; then 
shape up the chapes, skive down the ends, punch 


DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. 


135 


the buckle-holes, and black and crease the edges ; 
tack on the chapes and layers, and as soon as the 
leather is dry they can be stitched. 

Before stitching the folds, wet all the stock, al¬ 
low it to dry a little, then slick it out, point up 
the straps, take off the edges where it is necessary, 
and crease while damp. If the edges are rubbed 
down at the same time, they will finish better 
when dry ; but the blacking must not be applied 
until after the leather is dry. If folded traces are 
used, mark a line in the center on the flesh side, 
and with a gouge take out about one half the 
thickness of the stock. This will prevent the lea¬ 
ther cracking when being bent over. If doubled 
and stitched traces are used, paste up, tack, and 
crease them, and lay them one side to dry. Fit 
up the breeching tugs, turn four inches ; use loops 
one eighth inch narrower than the tugs. Crease 
and stitch the winkers, put some paste on the 
plates, and shove them in ; rub clown with a 
round end slicker, and tack them on a board to 
dry. Fit up the winker brace, wet it thoroughly, 
and bend it like the letter B ; tack it down, and 
allow it to dry before being stitched in. Make 
all the laps on the bridle two inches long; lap 
billets, three inches. 

After all the straps are dry and stitched, trim 
the edges, using a spokeshave instead of glass to 
true them ; black them, and then apply a little 
tallow and rub with a rag. Clean up the loops, 
and the harness will be ready to receive the final 
finish. 


136 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

HEAVY ORNAMENTAL TRUCK HARNESS. 

Among the many devices resorted to for the 
purpose of advertising a special business is the 
use of display teams, the harness for which is 
made in the most expensive manner; and it is no 
uncommon occurrence for a four-horse set to cost 
$2000, or a single set to cost §1200. As all these 
harness are made up in special styles, according 
to the taste of the party ordering them, a general 
description is all that is necessary. 

The bridles are made up full coach style, the 
winkers square, with slightly-rounded corners ; 
swivel gag runners are used, and the ornaments 
are alike on both sides ; the cheeks, throat latches, 
and reins are cut three quarters of an inch wide ; 
the winker braces are generally rounded ; the 
face pieces are made with ornamental pendants, 
and are lined and stitched throughout. The en¬ 
tire bridle is fitted up with as much care as though 
designed for a coach harness. The metallic orna¬ 
ments are of an appropriate design, to illustrate 
the business of the owner. 

The wheel harness have no pads; the crupper 
or back straps extending forward to the top hand 
straps; the crupper bodies are made with wide 
scroll safes, padded; the layers, which extend 
the entire length of the safes, are cut to a suitable 
ornamental pattern, made up martingale fashion, 
lined and stitched with four rows, fourteen to six¬ 
teen to the inch. 

The hip straps for each breeching are cut in one 



HEAVY DRAFT HARNESS. 





















































































































































































DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING TEAM HARNESS. 137 

piece, having 1 a swell two and a half inches wide, 
the split ends being one inch wide; between 
the ends there are ornamental pendants, which 
are cut out of the same strap, fitted up quite 
full, and stitched with four rows, the center 
of the frog being provided with a metallic orna¬ 
ment ; the hip straps are secured to the crupper 
body by metallic screws. 

The breeching bodies are of solid leather, two 
and three quarter inches wide; the layer straight 
and stitched with four rows; the layers and hip 
straps are stitched fourteen to the inch ; the tugs 
have full safes, with loops before and after the 
buckles ; on each tug is an ivory ring in place of 
the ordinary breeching rings: they are put up the 
same as collar buckles, having loops for the tugs 
and trace bearer frogs, the latter being of some 
neat, appropriate pattern. 

The breeching straps act as pole straps as well, 
as they extend from the breeching to the neck 
yoke, and are provided with heavy straps at the 
pole ends, and attached to the breeching martin¬ 
gale fashion. Bearing straps are attached to the 
forward ends, and are secured to the harness by 
swivel snap hooks. 

The traces and safes are cut in one piece, the 
safe end being four and one half, the other por¬ 
tion two inches wide, and attached to the harness 
by a heavy loop and three plated-head rivets; 
they have three straight rows of stitches, ten to 
the inch. N 

The lead harness, bridles, traces, and collars are 


138 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

made up the same as those for the pole team, ex¬ 
cept that they are lighter; they have, however, 
pads, but no breeching. The former are of plain 
leather, cut in one piece, with swelled sides doub¬ 
led throughout and made very firm, the bearing 
part lined and padded, and the tops stitched in 
the same manner as the tops of coach pads. The 
trace bearers are made heavy and strong, and in 
addition to being stitched to the pad by four 
rows they are each fastened by two pad-screws, 
to which are fastened ivory rings; rings are also 
attached to the top in the center of each pad 
through which the turnback passes to the hame 
straps. The cruppers are made up in the same 
manner as those of the pole harness, excepting 
that they are provided with billets for the docks; 
the latter are extra large. 

The loin straps are made up in the usual coach 
style, with swell ends and hip ornaments and 
trace bearers the same as those on the pole har¬ 
ness. 

The mountings are generally silver-plated, all 
the buckles being the “sunk bar.” The round 
reins are of russet, and the hand parts of heavy 
buffed leather. The collars are heavy, having 
piped throats, lined with thin harness leather. 


CHAPTER XI. 

MAKING GIG-SADDLES. 

T7ORMERLY every harness maker made up his 
J- own gig saddles, and any general information 
on that line of manufacture was of great value, but 
of late years.a large percentage made ar.e by par¬ 
ties who carry on the business of saddle making 
exclusively, or in connection with winkers, fronts, 
etc., and but few harness-makers can afford to 
make up the lower grades of saddles. There are 
those, however, who will not purchase ready¬ 
made saddles, and they would not think the 
manual complete without some instruction upon 
this very important branch of the harness busi¬ 
ness. To such the following plain details may 
prove of great value. The tree selected is the 
well known Tompkins, it being used more gener¬ 
ally than any other. 

The covering of the seat is the first part to be 
performed. To do this and make a perfect job, 
fit up the tree; for no matter how well it may 
have been made, there may be rough spots on the 
iron, and the wood in the cantle may need to be 
reduced in thickness. After having thoroughly 
cleaned the tree, unscrew the seat and remove it 
from the frame ; varnish it with shellac varnish 


/ 


I40 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


to prevent its rusting, or, better still, draw on a 
piece of sheepskin. When it is dry, proceed to 
prepare and draw on the seat leather, as follows : 
Cut a piece of patent collar leather, of the size re¬ 
quired for the seat to be covered, dampen it with 
warm water, but do not wet the varnish and avoid 
using too much water; stretch it to conform 
somewhat to the desired shape, put a tack on 
each side of the cantle, and clip the edges to ad¬ 
mit of its being drawn down. Pull each way and 
cut off the surplus leather, then sew the parts 
underneath the seat with a cross stitch, after which 
pull up the cantle part and tack it all around to 
the wood. Cut a piece of leather of about the size 
and substance of the middle leather (this is to be 
removed when the jockeys are put on,) place it 
in position, and screw the seat to the frame in 
order to secure the seat leather firmly in its 
place ; use a washer temporarily until the seat is 
screwed on to remain ; then file off the project¬ 
ing portion cf the screw. When the seat leather 
becomes dry, put on the back pieces, draw the 
tacks from the cantle, cut off some of the surplus 
leather, dampen the part over the cantle edge, 
and with a pair of plyers set up the leather drawn 
over the cantle, clipping it where needed. Cut 
a piece of patent collar leather for the back piece 
of the cantle, of the same shape as the seat leather; 
fit it nicely, and punch holes for the crupper loop, 
and cut apart from the hole to the bottom ; se¬ 
cure it in position by a few tacks, and prepare it 
for the binding. To do this, use a single thread 


MAKING GIG SADDLES. 


14 


carefully in such a manner that the stitches will 
not show through the binding, paste the two 
upper edges together, and hammer to make them 
firm and smooth. When dry, cut off the surplus 
leather, leaving just enough to form a binding- 
edge, and with a very sharp edge tool trim the 
back part, and it will be ready for the binding. 
To bind, cut a strip of enameled leather, about 
seven eighths or one inch wide (cutting parallel 
with the grain to prevent the varnish from crack¬ 
ing) and of the proper length, which can be as¬ 
certained by stretching it over the cantle edge; 
skin one side to a thin edge, paste, and with a 
slicker turn down the edge one quarter of an 
inch, rub it down and crease it for stitching ; then 
draw it over the cantle, tack one end properly 
and carefully adjust it in its place until the circle 
is completed and the other end secured in the 
same way. Regulate it with a slicker (which 
should be about one inch wide to work well), after 
which allow it to dry, and stitch as neatly as pos¬ 
sible ; when stitched, slick, regulate, and trim off 
the binding on the back part, black the trimmed 
edge, and it will be ready for the jockeys. 

To prepare the frame for the seat and jockeys, 
trim off the rough edges from the middle leather, 
cut two pieces of hard stock, about six inches 
long and of the same width as the depressions in 
the frame, skive down one end of each piece, and 
tack one in each of the depressions, with the 
skived ends toward the center; holes must be 
punched in them for the terret nuts, which should 


142 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

be secured with annealed or clout nails passed 
through the leather and clinched. 

To make the jockeys, take a pattern of the re¬ 
quired size, made of heavy leather or sheet 
iron, scribe and cut the jockeys, if for a covered 
seat, in two pieces ; if for a japanned seat, in 
one piece ; for a covered seat, skive the parts 
that meet on the center of the tree, dampen 
with water, and bend them to fit nicely over 
the seat. After stitching the jockeys, take 
off the edge with an edge tool, black, and 
rub smooth, and polish with a little ballblack. 
When they are ready, tack them to the middle 
leather on the frame in their proper place, screw 
on the seat, file off the screw if too long, wet 
the front and back edges of the seat leather, care¬ 
fully draw it down, tack the front and rear, then 
trim off all surplus leather, and it is ready for 
the flaps. 

The crupper loop should be covered before the 
seat and frame are put together. Cover it with 
plain or enameled leather, in the same manner as 
in covering a buckle or ring, and, when dry, 
stitch firm, trim off the edges, black, and rub 
smooth. To cut the flaps, patterns should be 
provided the same as for the jockeys; lay them 
on the leather, scribe around them with a round 
awl, and cut them out, true and smooth, with a 
sharp round knife ; grease the under side with 
hard tallow, but do not allow it to touch the cut 
edges; immerse them in water for a few minutes, 
then lay them aside until the water has softened 


MAKING GIG-SADDLES. 


143 


the leather enough for it to receive the crease- 
mark ; a little grease applied to the glazed side 
will prevent the creaser scratching. After creas¬ 
ing, allow them to dry, then bevel and black the 
edges. 

To flap off, cut the ends of the flaps to the 
requisite shape, so as to allow a portion to 
settle down in the depressions of the tree on the 
top of the stiffeners, leaving room for the back 
bands; fit the parts nicely, butting them against 
the crupper, so that the jockeys will hit the 
guide marks on the flaps ; place them so that the 
tree is in the center, and nail through the holes 
in the frames, clinching the nails on a flat iron. 
The back bands being in their place on the flaps, 
adjust them on the tree, punch holes in them for 
the terret shanks, tack them fast, and secure the 
nuts with clout nails. After putting in the fore¬ 
piece, sew down the jockeys. If the flaps are 
lengthened in front, the forepiece can be dis¬ 
pensed with when making cheap saddles. 

To make the leather loops, cut two pieces of 
thin harness leather, three and a hall inches long 
and one and a quarter inches wide; also two 
other pieces of good leather, about as heavy as 
bridle leather, one inch wide by three and a 
quarter inches long; paste these on the thin, wide 
pieces, then cut four strips, a little more than one 
eighth of an inch wide, from the heaviest leather 
(as it is easier to paste before cutting); paste them 
three sixteenths of an inch from the outer edges, 
pat them down with a hammer, and allow the 


144 the harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 

paste to dry; when dry, skive the ends, and they 
will be ready for the covering 1 leather. Next cut 
a piece of good enameled leather of sufficient 
width to cover the body piece, shave down a 
little, slick out, cut in two pieces, paste them, 
and put them around the body piece; while 
damp, bind them over a piece of wood, three 
eighths of an inch thick on one edge, and, after 
adjusting them to suit the eye, tack them to dry; 
when dry, stitch them twenty to twenty-two 
stitches to the inch, and they will be ready to be 
put in the flaps. 

To lay up the points for stitching, rough out 
the upper pieces eleven and a half inches long 
and three quarters of an inch wide, if for a three- 
inch saddle or under, of good but not heavy 
leather; cut the finings one and a half inches 
shorter and of lighter material; wet the leather 
as directed on page 54, and when partially dry 
it will work easily. If the upper pieces are not 
of uniform thickness, place the heaviest ends 
next to the flaps; slick them smooth, lay on the 
pattern, mark it, and cut out the ornamental sec¬ 
tion that is stitched on the flap; skive down the 
uppers on the flesh side where they lay on the 
flaps, leaving the edge the heaviest just at the 
end of the latter, as they are liable to break at 
this point if not well protected. Round the 
lower ends and skive them down a little on each 
edge ; for a good job, make the two parts a little 
oval by bending them over the edge of a board, 
or by rubbing them down in a groove, crease the 


MAKING GIG-SADDLES. 


145 


edge, and afterwards crease for the stitching. 
Skive the linings on the edges, paste them and 
the tops together, smooth with a rubbing-rag, 
and let them dry, then stitch from ten to sixteen 
stitches to the inch, according to quality. When 
stitched, dampen the leather a little, slick down 
the under side, and crease the edges again ; trim 
them to the desired shape, black them, and rub 
smooth with a rag containing a little tallow, and 
with a stiff brush clean off the stitches. They 
will then be ready to attach to the flaps. 

To make the back bands, rough them out to 
the required length and width, using the best 
quality of leather (the upper piece should be of 
good substance, but the lining may be of lighter 
stock); dampen them in the same manner as 
directed for the points, lay the upper pieces to¬ 
gether, and mark off twelve inches for the points 
and one inch for rounding, if the parts above 
the points are to be ornamental; if not, round 
four and a half inches, leaving the remaining por¬ 
tion flat, to go under the jockeys and be secured 
by the terrets. The ornament above the loop 
should be made to correspond with the other 
ornamental work on the harness. Skive the 
edges of the under pieces, and cut the tops to 
the desired width, leaving them a little wider at 
the loops; sew the rounds where the loops are 
to go very strongly, round up smoothly, and 
paste the top and linings together in good order 
above and below the loop rounds (some prefer to 
paste up before sewing the rounds). Crease up 


146 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

for straight or ornamental stitching, whichever 
best suits the harness, and settle the mark for the 
stitches with a tickler. Where there is not 
enough substance to make a firm job, a middle 
piece can be used to advantage. Finish in the 
same manner as with the points. 

To make the pad, cut the lining to the required 
shape, using the best English serge, and the body- 
piece of sheepskin or enamelled duck. If the 
former is used, it may be necessary to cut this 
piece a little smaller than when duck is employed, 
as it does not work up so much in sewing, and it 
is not necessary to take quite so deep a hold. 
Sew them together in the center with a few 
stitches on each side, to keep them in place, and 
scribe guide marks crosswise on the sheepskin or 
duck, to serve as guides for closing up the long 
cut after stuffing. Cut the facings of patent 
leather about one inch wide for all saddles under 
three inches, increasing the width for larger 
sizes. Be governed by the dimensions of the 
body piece in the length of the facings and 
fillings ; the latter are preferably made of leather, 
but reeds are also used. In preparing the fillings, 
reduce them in the center at the hook, also at the 
ends, to make a good finish; baste the facings on 
the fillings with long stitches, having them a 
little damp. Sew them all together—the facings 
forming a welt, beginning at the center—with a 
strong thread, about four stitches to the inch ; 
finish the ends neatly. 

After sewing, cut the body piece lengthwise, 


MAKING CIG-SADDLES. 


147 


turn the pad, and sew together with a long loop- 
stitch ; the guide marks will assist materially in 
so joining that the original position is maintained; 
regulate the facings while damp. If there be suf¬ 
ficient time, tack the pad out on a board in the 
shape to suit the flaps, and smooth the facings 
with a halt round creaser, the same as for any 
rounded piece, and let it remain until thoroughly 
dry before stuffing. In making common saddles 
this may be omitted, the whole being worked 
dry; but with a good saddle these points must be 
observed. Stuff from the centre with well-beaten 
hair, a little at a time, working it evenly into its 
place, and keeping it compact and smooth with a 
round awl; after thus regulating it, quilt the pad 
up to the bearings, being careful to have each 
side correspond. Next sew the lining to the 
body piece, keeping the fulness of the lining 
drawn toward the lower ends of the pad; stuff 
the bearings, and work with a round awl until 
the are sufficiently full, then with a proper tool 
pound the pad where it is quilted and stuffed, and 
it is ready for the saddle. 

Before flapping, make the holes in the flaps for 
the loops, and prepare each of the latter for 
stitching. After the flapping is done, and before 
sewing down the jockeys, draw the loops in their 
places over the rounds of the back bands and 
down through the holes made for them in the 
flaps, pulling them tightly to their places, and 
tacking temporarily with small tacks ; sew them 
to correspond with the stitching on the jockeys, 


148 THE HARNESS-MAKERS' ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

punch holes through the top ends of the back 
bands for the terrets, and nail them securely. 
I acking is not absolutely necessary, but it serves 
to make a firmer job. After so doing, put in the 
terrets and hook, using annealed nails to secure 
the nuts, clinch them thoroughly, and sew down 
the jockeys. Trim up, regulate, and put in the 
pad, lace it thoroughly, clean off, and the saddle 
is finished. 

Where a change is necessary in the shape of 
the flap, or larger or smaller patterns are desired, 
strike a line lengthwise through the center of the 
pattern, then take a pair of dividers and lay out 
the shape or size preferred, working from the 
center-line; when the shape is secured, cut one 
side, fold the pattern together, and cut the other. 
In this way a true pattern is obtained, while no 
changes are made in the part that fits the tree. 
Alter the patterns for the body and lining to 
correspond. 


CHAPTER XII. 

PADS FOR COACH AND TEAM HARNESS. 

HE subdivision of labor and the improve- 



X ments made during the past ten or fifteen 
years have, by making specialties of certain parts, 
such as pads, gig saddles, etc., taken some of the 
harness maker’s work out of his hands, and ena¬ 
bled him to purchase ready-made articles at re¬ 
duced prices, yet there are times when these must 
be made under the supervision of the manufac¬ 
turer in order that they may correspond with all 
other portions of the harness. 

Patent pads, which constitute the greater por¬ 
tion of those made up for the regular trade, are 
constructed in various ways, and as their manu¬ 
facture is confined to the patentees, no advantage 
would accrue to /the harness maker by a detailed 
description of the manner of putting them to¬ 
gether. Instruction, therefore, in this respect 
will be confined to a few of the hand made pads 
which best represent their respective classes; 
more than this it would be useless to do, as the 
variety of style and processes of manufacture are 
so varied. 


150 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


COACH AND CARRIAGE PADS. 

By coach and carriage pads is meant, all, 
whether light or heavy, that are designed for car¬ 
riage harness in contradistinction to those used 
on team or draught harness. The process of man¬ 
ufacture is the same in all cases, whether the pad 
be light or heavy. Directions for making up will 
be confined to the pad, independent of the sides. 
I he plates, which should be of wrought-iron, must 
be trued up, and the ends filed off thin and 
smooth. Cut out the top, punch the holes for the 
hook, terrets, and pad screws, blind stitch the or¬ 
namental portion, and stitch the pad plate lining 
to the top; trim off the edges to a sharp under 
bevel, then split the lining lengthwise, insert the 
plate, and whip stitch together with strong 
threads. Cut the socket piece of harness leather 
one half inch larger all around than the top ; the 
P°:nt, or pole, as it is sometimes called, should 
extend from if to if inches below the end of the 
plate; in cutting allow at least f of an inch for 
fulness between the terret holes, and f of an 
inch between the terret and pad screw holes. 
Skive off the edges on the flesh side quite thin, 
and back f inch from the outer edge, punch holes 
for terret nuts, insert them, and rivet them in 
place ; in like manner insert the nuts for the pad 
screws, and screw them in position by means of a 
small cap piece stitched on. Screw in the pad 
hook, place the nut piece in position, and pound 


COACH AND CARRIAGE PADS. 


151 

down enough on the pad screw nut to obtain the 
exact size, then remove the nut piece, and cut 
away for the pad hook nut; then place the nut 
piece in position, screw in the terrets, insert a 
short piece of harness leather the same width and 
thickness as the pad side, and set in the pad 
screw (be careful to set the mock side in proper 
position) ; then, with a hammer, set up the bolt 
piece to the plate, work in all the fulness, and 
turn up the edges square and smooth, and set the 
pad aside to dry. After the leather is dry, cut 
the pad filling out of heavy felt, paste it on, and, 
when dry, trim to the required shape. Cut the 
bottom from light collar leather, moisten it on the 
flesh side, work it up smooth, and paste to the 
edges of the nut piece ; when dry, trim off flush 
with the top, skive the edges quite thin, and 
paste on the binding, being careful to work it up 
smooth and even ; when dry, stitch across the 
centre, leaving the gullet piece about inches 
wide, then place the pad upon a block, and care¬ 
fully stitch the binding ; trim the edge, and black 
if necessary. Pads put up in this way are firm, 
and much easier to make than those in which hair 
is used for stuffing. 

The following directions apply to the manu¬ 
facture of pads stuffed with hair. The routine 
for making is also somewhat different: Prepare 
the top and lining, and insert the plate as before 
directed, fit the hook and crupper loop in their 
proper places, bend the latter up so that it meets 
the edge of the top, fasten the screw or nut piece 


I52 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

with a pad screw to the top, and force it up in the 
centre so as to obtain the requisite fulness, mark 
the holes for the screws and terrets, and also the 
outlines for the plate ; make the pole 1J inches 
long, remove the nut piece, and punch the burrow 
holes b)’ the lower edges of the marks; this will 
secure the necessary fulness in the centre ; skive 
off the edges of the nut piece, secure the burrs to 
it, and fit it up to the top with a hammer, being 
careful to turn the edges up true and smooth, 
and set it aside to dry; when partially dry, repeat 
the process so as to be sure that the edge is prop¬ 
erly shaped ; do not remove the top until the nut 
piece is perfectly dry. Cut the bottom piece out 
of collar leather; to get the proper size, make a 
pattern of sheep-skin. This is done by dampen¬ 
ing it very lightly, turning up the end around the 
gullet, tack it to the top, fit the other end around 
the pole, and tack it in like manner, then turn up 
the edge all around, and mark a line level with the 
top. This will give the exact shape without ful¬ 
ness. Remove this piece, and draw a line for 
the swell, the greatest fulness being opposite the 
centre of the terret holes ; taper gradually to the 
centre and ends, then cut the bottom piece to the 
new line by the pattern upon the leather for the 
bottom piece, and cut it out. Cut a small piece 
out of the centre in order to obtain fulness 
enough for the edges, whip together smoothly, 
turn the edges in the centre and fasten with a few 
stitches, draw the ends down and fasten the 
points with tacks, paste between the burrs and 


SOFT PAD. 


53 


the lining on the edge, pop stitch together, leav¬ 
ing the ends open. Stitch across the centre, leav¬ 
ing a space i-J- inches, paste the bottom to the 
edges ot the nut piece, and, when dry, trim off to 
the required shape ; paste the binding, and, when 
dry, stitch carefully ; trim the binding close to 
the stitching, holding the knife so as to cut under 
in order to avoid showing a ragged edge. In 
stuffing, first work out the edge, then fill up the 
centre, tapering off gradually to the point; close 
the ends and tuft the point, and fit up to the top 
for the last time. 

Fitting up the nut piece is the most important 
part of the work, and care must be taken to se¬ 
cure the requisite fulness to make a good job; 
also, to have the leather properly tempered so 
that it will retain the shape given it. 

SOFT PAD. 

A very large majority of the plainer lines of 
farm and team harness are made up with what is 
known as soft pads—that is, those without plates. 
The great number of styles makes it impossible, 
in a work of this kind, to give any more than a 
general notice, and as an illustration the one 
shown on page 154 is selected. It is one of the 
best, and embraces the general principles by 
which all soft pads are made. The tops and sides 
are cut of one piece of heavy harness leather, 
forty-four inches long ; and, if designed for a one 
and three quarter trace harness, it is cut one and 


154 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual 



o 


































SOFT PAD. 


155 


a quarter inches wide in the centre, two and a 
quarter inches at the pad bilge, two inches at the 
side bilge, one and a quarter inches at the nar¬ 
rowest point between the top and side bilges, and 
seven eighths of an inch at the bottom. Treat 
the leather the same as in making harness, and 
crease the edges with a double creaser. 

The pad bottom is cut of good fold leather. In 
making the pad, cut a heavy piece of felt, nine 
inches long, for each side, of the same shape as 
the pad top, but about one quarter of an inch nar¬ 
rower. Cut extra pieces about five inches long 
to make the requisite fulness for the bilge of the 
pad ; cover the felt with the pad bottom, and lace 
the edges of the latter together on the top (the 
pad bottom should be wet while being worked, 
so that it can be fitted up to a good shape); then 
secure it to the top by a single line of stitches, or 
by binding with fancy colored leather, allowing 
the binding to terminate at the bottom of the pad, 
or to extend across the top in the form of a fold 
as shown by X, part A. 

The pad trace bearer is shown by B ; its full 
length is nineteen inches, width at top three quar¬ 
ters of an inch, and at the bilge one and a quar¬ 
ter inches ; the upper end is attached to the pad 
top by a plated rivet, and stitched from four and 
a half to five inches from the end. The points are 
cut twelve inches wide and laid up on the pad 
side three inches, the lower ends of the trace bear¬ 
ers rest on the points and are stitched to them, 
one half inch bevelled plugs being placed between 


156 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


the two ; the whole is further strengthened by 
copper rivets. A ring for the back strap is at¬ 
tached to the centre of the pad by a chape 
stitched and riveted on. 

This pad is sometimes made up with a short 
plate, extending down far enough to receive the 
pad trace bearer, a terret being used instead of 
the rivet; when this is done, a loop check takes 
the place of the ring. The parts represented 
are : A, pad top section; B, pad side section; 
C, pad trace bearer; D, one line of the pad 
bottom; E, pad trace bearer in position. 

PLAIN HARD PAD. 

This, while being much firmer and stronger 
than the soft pad, is but little more difficult to 
make. It is designed for heavy wagon harness 
where terrets and hooks are to be used. A very 
good idea of its construction and appearance may 
be gathered from the illustration on page 157, 
which represents the various pieces drawn to 
one third their actual size. 

The top, which is shown by section 1, is cut out 
of heavy patent or harness leather; the openings 
show the positions of the pad screw and terret: 
this may be blind stitched if desired, but for 
general use it is quite as salable if left plain. If 
harness leather is used, trim the edges to a light 
oval and crease them with a fine creaser. 

The bottom piece or lining is shown by section 
2 ; this is cut of light harness or fold leather. The 


PLAIN HARD PAD. 


157 






















158 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

socket piece, the lower end of which is shown be¬ 
low the pad top 1, is cut to the same shape as the 
top, a point a little below the centre of the hole 
for the pad screw, then it takes the shape desig¬ 
nated by the dotted lines. 

The housing is shown by section 3. This is 
made of patent leather with a scolloped border 
bound around the edge, as shown by A; the 
square hole showing the space cut away to admit 
the back band. 

The pad plate is shown by section 4. This is 
of wrought or malleable iron with threads cut in 
the holes for the pad screws and terrets; the 
crupper loop is cast or forged upon the plate. 

In making up this pad, cut the socket piec^ 
from patent leather, the same size as the plate, 
and secure it to the latter by means of copper 
rivets at the points designated by X, section 4; 
then draw over the bottom and tack it to the 
socket piece, the nails clinching as they come in 
contact with the plate ; lap the ends of the bot¬ 
tom so as to obviate the necessity of using a sepa¬ 
rate gullet piece ; then stuff the pad and place the 
housing on the socket piece; tuft the ends of the 
bottom socket and housing as shown by the cross 
lines on the lower ends of 1 and 3 ; then place 
the pad top in position, and secure it by the ter¬ 
rets and pad screws. 

The side pieces are always cut straight and 
creased or stitched ; if trace bearers are used', the 
top ends are secured by the pad screws. The 
housing is not a necessity with this pad, but it 


PLAIN HARD PAD. 


159 


makes it more ornamental, and is therefore pre¬ 
ferred by most buyers. 

Another style of pad which may be made up 
with or without pad plates or stuffed pad, is made 
by cutting a housing piece from heavy patent 
leather to the required shape, and covering it 
with soft collar leather. If no plate is used, the 
back strap, which is perfectly straight and about 
one and one quarter inches wide, is stitched to 
the pad piece before the latter is covered; a 
chape is attached to the centre for the back strap 
ring, or a loop check hook may be used instead ; 
four rivets, with round heads, are used to 
strengthen the pad and to give it an ornamental 
appearance. 

A plain pad, which is used to a considerable ex¬ 
tent in New-York upon team harness, is made of 
two strips of harness leather; one, forming the 
pad and sides, is cut two and a quarter inches 
wide and fifty-six inches long, the points one and 
an eighth inches wide and ten inches long; the 
layer is cut seventy-nine inches long and one and 
an eighth inches wide ; this is stitched to the pad 
twelve inches each side of the centre; the lower 
ends are placed even with the bottom ends of the 
points, and stitched to them and three inches up 
on the sides, the fulness thus secured to the layer 
makes it answer for a pad trace bearer; small 
brass head rivets are placed in the centre of the 
layer the whole length between the points at in¬ 
tervals of about three inches. The layer may be 


1 Cl THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


left loose in the center, forming a loop h>r the 
back band to pass through, or a billet and ring 
may be attached instead. A thin pad, made of 
two thicknesses of felt and fold or collar leather, 
can be added if desired. 



GEORGIA WAGON HARNESS. 






















































































































































































CHAPTER XIII. 

MAKING PIARNESS LOOPS. 

H ARNESS MAKERS have three kinds of 
leather loops to select from—the hand 
made, patent, and pressed. The first are undoubt¬ 
edly the best, and are used in preference to all 
others upon fine harness, some leading- manufac¬ 
turers using- no other kind. Some makers of me¬ 
dium grades also use them to a considerable 
extent; but if well made they are too expen¬ 
sive for common work, and when poorly con¬ 
structed are inferior to the other kinds. 

Patent loops are made by being pressed up in 
hot dies, and are sold to the trade in every need¬ 
ed size and in a variety of styles. Being nicely 
finished and much cheaper than hand made loops, 
they have taken their place on medium grades, 
and are also used to a great extent upon common 
harness. Pressed loops are those made up in 
the workshop, and shaped by means of dies and 
presses after they are stitched upon the straps. 
The making of these and hand creased alone 
interest the workman, as the patent loops are 
ready for use at the time of purchase. 

Hand made loops possess several advantages 
over other kinds ; they are more durable, and, 
owing to the manner of making them, are less 


162 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

uniform in style of creasing than those made by 
dies. 

Care in the selection of stock is the first requi¬ 
site in making good loops, and the workman is 
referred to the description of the various quali¬ 
ties and kinds given on page 36. Next in im¬ 
portance is the tempering of the stock in water 
so as to bring it to a condition where it can be 
easily worked and yet retain the full impression 
of the creasing irons, which it will not do if 
either too wet or dry. The general rule is to 
soak the leather until thoroughly moistened, 
then remove it from the water, and allow it to 
become surface dry before creasing. Some work¬ 
men prefer to moisten the leather but a little be¬ 
fore stitching on, and afterward temper it by the 
use of water and a sponge ; if, after being stitch¬ 
ed on, the leather is found to be too dry to work 
well, the fault can be remedied by the use of a 
moist sponge. Owing, however, to the marked 
difference existing in the texture and fibre of 
each separate side of leather, and to the various 
portions of a single side, there can be no fixed 
rule given as to the preparation of it, and the 
workman must be governed solely by experience. 
As has been stated in another chapter, there are 
certain signs and indications which furnish an 
exact guide to the workman, but they are of a 
nature which can not be described, and it is his 
duty to pay strict attention to the minor details 
if he would meet with success in the leading fea¬ 
tures. 


HARNESS LOOPS. 


I 6 3 

In order to secure a perfect-shaped loop, it is 
absolutely necessary to allow sufficient fulness 
in the leather to permit the corners being- work¬ 
ed up full and square on the outside. To accom¬ 
plish this, a fulness of about f of an inch over 
and above the width of the loop stick should be 
allowed to a ij-inch loop of ordinary thickness, 
increasing or diminishing the same as the width 
or thickness is increased or diminished. This 
extra leather must be worked up and outward to 
the corners, so that when the loop is completed 
they are full and square, otherwise they will 
be thin and weak at the very point where the 
greatest strength is required 

Hand creased loops are commonly attached by 
stitching both sides before creasing. Another 
method which is preferred by many workmen, 
as it obviates much of the difficulty arising from 
the leather becoming too dry before it can be 
creased, is the employment of a clamp in con¬ 
nection with the loop stick. When this is used, 
an iron loop stick is substituted for the wooden 
one. The back clamp iron is made the full 
length of the loop stick, and | of an inch wider ; 
at either end there is an ear, which projects 
about 1 inch above the back iron, the ends of 
which are bent over so as to cross the back iron 
at right angles; holes are drilled through the 
ends directly over the centre of the back iron: 
these are threaded and provided with a thumb 
screw. When used, the back iron is placed 
against the back of the strap, and the thumb 


164 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

screws tightened against the loop stick, holding 
the latter and the leather firmly together. In 
securing the loop, one side is stitched in its 
place and the other properly inserted, after 
which the screws are applied and the whole held 
in position until the loop is creased and finished) 
after which it can be stitched fast. 

If the ordinary loop stick is used, both sides 
must be stitched fast before the stick is inserted, 
care being taken to allow the requisite fulness. 
First work up the sides with a slicker, then rub 
down the top, and continue to work both sides 
and top until the leather is pressed firmly 
against the loop stick, always working toward 
the corners to keep them full, then trim the 
ends perfectly true, and run the edge creases 
with a hot creaser, after which trace off the pat¬ 
tern and outline it with a fine tickler, then crease 
up with suitable tools : these can be kept hot 
and clean by laying the ends upon a metallic box 
heated by gas jets or an alcohol lamp, the han¬ 
dles resting upon a wire support. The secret of 
success in creasing loops is to define all corners 
and outlines correctly before the leather becomes 
too hard to receive an impression easily, the work¬ 
ing up of the pattern afterwards being compara¬ 
tively an easy matter. After the pattern is well 
worked 1 p, remove the loop stick and insert an 
iron one which has been heated as hot as it can be 
without danger of burning, then color the leather 
with iron.and vinegar black, and work over the 
entire loop with warm creasers and slickers until 


HARNESS LOOPS. 


i6 5 

the leather is perfectly dry. By this process the 
surface will receive a fine polish, and if the color is 
good no further operation is needed. If a better 
black is required, allow the loop to remain unmo¬ 
lested until thoroughly seasoned, and apply a 
slight coat of hatter’s black, and, when dry, polish 
with a silk rag. A loop which has been well 
worked will not be improved by the use of varnish 
of any kind. If the loop is properly made it will 
be solid and entirely free from grain cracks, the 
corners full and sharp, the ornament well raised 
and correctly defined. A soft loop is an evi¬ 
dence of a lack of skill, or of carelessness, upon 
the part of the workman, for if the leather is in 
proper condition and worked up as it should be, 
it will become firm and hard. 

Pressed loops are the cheapest, and when well 
made appear nearly as well when new as the 
other styles. There has been a marked improve¬ 
ment in the manner of making them within a few 
years, and it is difficult, in some cases, to detect the 
difference between them and the patent loops. 
The same care is necessary in regard to provid¬ 
ing fulness in the leather sufficient to produce 
square corners as is recommended in the case of 
hand made loops. They are needled on, and by 
the exercise of a little ingenuity the awl holes on 
the side last stitched may be so placed as to be 
almost undiscernable when the loop is fully 
pressed up. The machinery and appliances ne¬ 
cessary for pressing up these loops consist of a 


l66 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

good screw press, a metallic box with open ends, 
the sides being about 3 inches high on the inside, 
and the width for other than pressing cheek 
loops 3 inches wide in the clear ; for cheek loops 
a box fully wide enough to admit the winker is 
necessary ; in one side of the box place two 
thumb screws about 1 % inches from the bottom, 
one within 2 inches of each end; in addition 
small side plates are needed to be placed between 
the sides of the box and the loop, also plates to 
be placed upon the bottom for raising or lowering 
the loop according to its thickness ; iron loop 
sticks, and the top stamps or dies. In press¬ 
ing, the loop stick is placed in its proper position, 
the strap laid in the box, and the side screws 
tightened up until the leather is pressed firmly 
against the sides of the loop stick, after which 
the die is placed in position and the screw pres¬ 
sure applied to the top. It is necessary to screw 
the side plates well up or the heavy pressure on 
the top will cause the loop to spread on the top 
edge. Two minutes under the press is all that is 
necessary to secure a firm loop even with cold 
irons. By the exercise of a little ingenuity in 
designing dies, a variety of patterns may be pro¬ 
duced and cheap harness relieved of the same¬ 
ness now so prevalent. With pressed as with 
other loops, much of the success in their produc¬ 
tion depends upon the leather being properly 
tempered. After the loop is seasoned, color it 
with vinegar and iron black, and when dry rub 


HARNESS LOOPS. 


167 


with a woolen cloth, after which it may be fin¬ 
ished the same as hand made loops. By the use 
of a box of this kind, together with dies, small 
loops may be made similar to the patent ones., 
and of patterns to match the large ones. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


STITCHING HARNESS. 

I N stitching harness two objects are to be at¬ 
tained—strength and ornamentation. The first 
is secured by the use of thread of the required 
size to suit the work to be done, making it up 
properly, employing an awl that is neither too 
large nor too small, and drawing the work well 
together. The second, by laying the stitches in 
an artistic manner so that, when the work is 
finished, the lines of the pattern are well main¬ 
tained and the stitches of a uniform length and 
laid true. 

The first point to be considered is the selection 
of the linen thread or silk, and the proper manner 
of making up the strand. Thread as now sold in 
the market is designated by numbers; the sizes 
used by harness makers are Nos. o, io, 3, 12, and 
5, the latter being the finest used ; Nos. 6 and 
19 are of the same size, but of different colors, 5 
being black, 6 white, and 19 yellow. These sizes 
should be used in such a manner as to secure the 
greatest strength. The rule adopted is to grade 
the thread according to the number of stitches 
to be employed. No. o, which is the coarsest, 


STITCHING HARNESS. 


169 


should be made up with four strands, and be 
used where the stitches number eight or under 
to the inch; No. 10 is a little lighter than No. o, 
and is used in the lightest work; where the 
stitching is not more than ten nor less than eight 
to the inch, three strands are used. No. 3 is 
also used where the stitching ranges from eight 
to ten to the inch, it being finer than either 10 
or o; four strands are required for all ordinary 
work; for ten to sixteen to the inch No. 12 is 
used, four strands being required. When the 
stitching is as fine as eighteen to the inch the 
same number is used, but only three strands; for 
all work finer than eighteen stitches No. 5 is the 
only thread used ; this is made up with three or 
four strands, according to the character of the 
work to be done. These numbers represent the 
ball thread ; skein thread, however, varies but 
little in size with corresponding numbers, but, 
owing to its being smoother, it appears finer. 
For all heavy work the ball thread answers 
equally as well as the skein; but in making up, 
the thread, while being twisted, should be well 
rubbed with the awl handle in order to remove 
the irregularities. Where the work to be done 
is fine and first-class in every respect, use the 
skein thread. White thread is preferred, by har¬ 
ness-makers who have tested its merit, on heavy 
stitching, owing to its possessing greater strength 
than the colored. 

Having selected the requisite number of thread, 
the next thing is to break off the strands, wax 


I JO THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

and twist them up; unless this is well done the 
work will prove a failure. In running off each 
strand, it should be examined to prevent any 
hard, irregular spot being twisted up in the 
thread; in most cases the little lumps which are 
found are loose and can be removed without 
injuring the thread ; where this can not be done, 
break it off and start anew. For stitching all 
articles like traces or other long straps, long 
threads are desirable in order to avoid starting 
with a new thread in the body of the work. Ten 
to eleven feet, however, is as great a length as 
can be used to advantage, and even this is liable 
to become weakened by the constant wear before 
being used up. In making a thread, untwist and 
pull apart the strand at the end, throw the center 
over a hook, and untwist and pull apart for the 
first strand; repeat this operation until the re¬ 
quired number of strands are obtained. Un¬ 
twisting before breaking the thread is a matter of 
much more importance than is generally supposed. 
If carefully done, the fibres are separated but not 
broken, and a smooth, regular, tapered end can 
be obtained ; but if broken off, the end will be ir¬ 
regular and cause annoyance in threading the 
needles or attaching the bristles. 

There is much difference of opinion as to the 
manner of waxing ; some claim that no wax 
should be used until the strands are well twisted 
together, then they should be rubbed until the 
thread is well filled, after which it should be 
nibbed with a cloth to remove all surplus wax. 


STITCHING HARNESS. 


I 7 I 

Others claim that the principal part of the wax¬ 
ing should be done before twisting, and that the 
only benefit derived from using wax on the sur¬ 
face is to preserve the thread from injury by the 
friction occasioned by drawing it through the 
holes in the leather. A careful examination of 
the thread after having been used in stitching, 
would seem to give support to the latter method 
of making up, as it is found, upon cutting apart, 
that the amount of wax left on the surface is so 
small as to preclude the idea of its being any ad¬ 
vantage either as to strength or resistance to the 
action of water, while strands which had been 
well waxed before twisting retained all but the 
surface wax. Fine threads may be made up ac¬ 
cording to the first plan, but all heavy threads 
should be well waxed before twisting. 

After the strands are all broken off, rub them 
well by giving one turn around the awl handle 
and rubbing it back and forth, then apply the 
wax, and twist up moderately firm. A thread may 
be injured by twisting too firmly as well as by 
leaving it loose. In the first instance it will not 
take the wax well and wears away rapidly; in 
the second, the strands are likely to open and 
show after the stitch is laid. The workman must 
therefore depend upon his own judgment as to 
the proper amount of* twist to be given. The 
best is the ordinary shoemaker’s black wax, 
which is made of equal parts of pitch and tallow, 
and is a good wax for general use; but this is 
too hard .for winter, when a larger percentage o' 


172 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

tallow is required, making the proportions one 
pound of tallow to three quarters of a pound of 
pitch. Various degrees of hardness may be ob¬ 
tained by changing the proportions. This, how¬ 
ever, will not answer for white or light-colored 
thread. A good wax for this purpose can be 
made of refined pitch and tallow, the propor¬ 
tions to be governed by the degree of hardness 
desired. Ordinary yellow and white wax are 
also used for light thread, but they arc not as 
good as that made of pitch. 

Stitching, to appear well, must be regular, 
each stitch being full, defined, and of equal 
length. The use of the prick wheel assists mate¬ 
rially toward producing the last result, but un¬ 
less the workman handles his awl correctly 
irregularities will occur. Tastes differ as to the 
best position for the stitches. There was a time 
when straight stitching was ignored by all lead¬ 
ing manufacturers on account of its resemblance 
to machine work, but the improvements in the 
latter soon made it possible to imitate any hand 
stitch, and the straight stitch has once more be¬ 
come popular. The custom now practiced by 
leading manufacturers is to lay all heavy stitches 
ten or less to the inch at a moderate angle, using a 
diamond-shaped awl; to secure uniformity the awl 
is held in a position which brings a face of the angle 
on a line parallel with the top of the jaw of the 
stitching-horse ; to render this result certain, a 
portion of the handle is flattened to correspond 
with the angle on the awl. If the stitching is six- 


STITCHING HARNESS. 


*73 


teen or less to the inch, the angle is reduced, but 
the same precaution is taken to secure regularity. 
All stitches where there are more than sixteen to 
the inch, are laid straight. 

The manner of drawing up the stitches has 
much to do with their uniformity : drawing 
harder on one thread than on the other will pro¬ 
duce irregularity. A common fault with stitchers 
is to tighten the thread with one motion as soon 
as it becomes short enough for them to do so ; 
this is a serious fault, as it is impossible to lay the 
stitches even. No matter what the length of the 
thread, thfc tightening up should always be a 
distinct motion. If the stitches are to be flat, the 
force applied to both threads should be equal; 
but if a full stitch is desired on the face side, 
the thread bearing against the under side should 
be drawn the tightest ; care must be taken not 
to draw upon this thread enough to draw out the 
channeling. Stitchers are apt to draw the thread 
in the awl hand the tightest, and it requires 
some practice to overcome this difficulty. 

When performing a piece of work where the 
stitches are equally exposed from both sides, it 
is necessary to change the position of the 
thread on the side opposite the awl hand, or the 
work will be irregular, and it will be an easy 
matter to determine which is the right side. To 
do this work properly, enter the needles, and 
when that on the left side is drawn nearly out, 
bring the loose thread forward, and throw it over 
the needle, and tighten up in the usual manner. 


174 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 

If care is taken to throw the thread over, the 
work will appear nearly as well upon the reverse 
as upon the right side. 

The points to be observed, therefore, are : to 
drive the awl through at right angles with the 
face of the leather, holding itsothatit will always 
enter the leather in the same position ; to draw 
the threads carefully, so that each stitch is set in 
at a uniform depth, and the fulness retained on 
the outside. When the work is well fitted up, it 
will not require much power to set the stitches 
correctly. Around buckles, when the laps have 
not been previously worked together, it will re¬ 
quire more force to draw the straps together ; but 
under no circumstance should the stitches be 
buried into the leather, as this has a tendency to. 
weaken rather than strengthen the work. 


CHAPTER XV. 


MAKING ROUND REINS. 



HE very general use of round reins and their 


JL effect upon the appearance of the harness 
render it necessary that the most approved man¬ 
ner of making up be thoroughly understood, and 
entitle this branch of harness making to a sepa¬ 
rate notice. In preparing the following instruc¬ 
tions, the grade of round russet reins known as 
No. 4 has been selected as the one embracing the 
various manipulations more thoroughly than any 
other, covering as it does all the essential points. 

Good stock is indispensable to success, and 
care should be taken to secure smooth, fine¬ 
grained, and well tanned rein leather, the diffe¬ 
rent qualities of which are clearly described in the 
chapter on “ Russet Leather,” page 33. Cut the 
leather seven eighths of an inch wide, and of the 
full length of the side; soak it in clean water for 
a few minutes, and remove a thin shaving from 
the flesh side; then lay it out straight upon the 
board, grain side down, moisten slightly with a 
sponge and clean water, and shave down to the 
required thickness ; slick down nicely while the 
leather is damp, and measure off five inches from 
one end for the billet and stop, and five feet six 
inches from this point for the round, with an ad- 


176 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

ditional five and a quarter inches for the hand- 
part lap. Measure off on the rein seven eighths 
or three quarters of an inch, or whatever size may 
be necessary, for the billet; lay the rein out on the 
board with the grain side up, secure it firmly with 
awls, and with a channeling tool, held firmly in the 
hand, channel the five feet six inches which are to 
be rounded; trim each edge with an edge tool, 
as by so doing considerable work, that would 
otherwise have to be done with the spokeshave, 
can be saved and a better job produced. Cut 
the width of the billet—which is five inches—on 
the edge of the rein, edge it with a small edge 
tool, stain and rub the edges until a good polish 
is produced, then with a seven-eighth inch 
buckle punch make the hole for the buckle 
about three inches from the end, and with a 
round knife trim down nearly to a feather edge ; 
turn the rein about, and stamp with a die, or 
mark off to a suitable pattern—four waves run¬ 
ning to a point is a good one—stain the edges, 
and rub them well, then with a wide edge tool 
trim them slanting, so as to leave a raise in the 
center. Both sides being finished as directed, 
dampen the leather with a moist sponge, and 
with a raising block raise the handpart end light¬ 
ly if raised too much, rub down with a clean 
piece of paper, then with a double creaser sink 
the creases well, and prick off with a No. 14 
prick-wheel, after which rub the edges smooth. 

The rein is now ready for the stop, which is 
made of two pieces of clean stock dampened and 


MAKING ROUND REINS. 


• I 77 

shaved down to the required thickness, then 
pasted together and allowed to dry ; when per¬ 
fectly dry, cut out with a die, or to a pattern, an 
egg-shaped or other design ; stitch the stop, trim 
off the back edge with an edge tool, dampen the 
edges lightly, apply the stain, and rub until a 
good smooth surface and polish are produced. 
Heat a narrow iron creaser quite warm over a 
gas or other light, crease the edges, and rub them 
with a rag until they are smooth. Trim the ends 
of the stops down thin. 

Next prepare the billet, which is thirteen and 
one half inches long, by dampening it well and 
rubbing it down solid with a slicker; cut out the 
end of the billet with a half round punch, and 
with a small edge tool take the edge off each side 
to one half the length, then stain, and rub smooth 
with a cloth. Mark off one and one half inches to 
go into the round of the rein, and five inches 
more for the stop ; crease up the billet and punch 
with a No. 6 round punch, dampen the end that 
enters the rein so that it will work easily, trim 
down to a feather edge, and then pound down to 
the mark, so that the stitcher can more easily pull 
the round up tight; this being done, tack the 
billet to the rein and it is ready to be stitched. 

The billet, as has been stated, is marked off five 
inches, three inches of which are for the half-inch 
loops before and behind the buckle; this part is 
channeled the width of the box loop, and a space 
of one half inch each way from this loop is stitched 
with seven dr eight stitches, drawn tight; these 
make the rein firmer,.and give it a better finish. 


178 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

After the billet is stitched, the rein is ready for 
filling up. To do this, first see that the filling is 
thoroughly wet, so that it can be shaved down 
evenly, and, when the rein is closed up, can be 
pounded down to a true and smooth round. In 
filling up, care should be taken not to dampen the 
rein too much, for if too wet the leather can not be 
trimmed off smoothly with a spokeshave, and 
when dried out it becomes hard and brittle ; also, 
when filling off, the channel, instead of being close 
and smooth, will raise and become uneven. The 
proper course is to dampen it with a sponge, and 
pound down immediately. To do this, take a 
large awl, run it through one of the holes in the 
billet, fasten the rein to the board, and, with a 
shoemaker’s hammer, pound one edge down to 
the end of the rein; then turn the rein over, com¬ 
mence at the same point as before, and pound the 
other side down; in this way the rein is evenly 
prepared to receive the filling. In placing the 
latter in position, always put in the longest pieces 
at the commencement, and use the short pieces 
down at the neck of the rein. At the end, where 
the handpart is sewed in, put in an end piece, or 
sew the handpart into the round ; either will do, 
but the former is the better plan. After the rein 
is closed, if a little dry in places, dampen it slight¬ 
ly with a sponge, then trim off with a large-sized 
edge tool, and also trim off the filling close to the 
rein; then pound down on a board iron made for 
this purpose, having a half-round groove in which 
to place the rein. The use of this groove mate- 


MAKING ROUND REINS. 


179 


rially lessens the labor and helps to secure a good 
round. Some workmen use a flat stone or board 
iron without a groove, but it is poor policy to do 
so, as it has a tendency to flatten the leather 
where it bears upon the stone. 

The rein is now ready to be rounded up, which 
is done by pulling it through the rounding 
machine three or four times, after which trim off 
the edges with a sharp spokeshave as round and 
evenly as possible; dampen the rein slightly with 
a moist sponge, pull it through the, rpunding 
machine three or four times more, and then with 
a hand rounder rub up and down all over the 
round, the object being to touch all the parts 
that the machine has failed to reach, thereby 
making them smooth. Then, with a sponge and 
a solution of oxalic acid, clean off the rein and 
hang it up to dry. When dry, or nearly so, 
apply a small quantity of a stain made of annot- 
ta and saffron in the proportion of one pint of 
the former to a half gill of the latter. After 
dampening the reins, block up the loops, trim 
nicely from the end of the rein to the box loop, 
stain, and rub down smoothly; dampen the 
round slightly with the stain, and rub briskly un¬ 
til a nice, smooth polish appears. In order to 
preserve the color on the rein, dissolve shellac 
in alcohol, and with a clean sponge apply it to 
every part of the rein ; this, in addition to pre¬ 
serving the color, produces a good lustre on the 
leather. 

Rein ends can be made up in a variety of styles, 


l8o THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

but the general directions for manufacture are 
the same. Their use is to prevent the Martingale 
ring coming in contact with the buckle, or bit 
ring, where it will catch fast, and at the same 
time provide a neat ornament for the end of the 
rein. In Cutting the harness maker should aim 
to make them not less than one quarter of an inch 
wider than the inside diameter of the Martingale 
ring. Figs, i, 2, 3, and 4 show four patterns, all 
but fig. 4 being made up as previously directed. 
This is # made without buckles, but a small piece 
of steel is bent at the'point where the rein joins 
to the ornament, which is stitched in between the 
straps. This steel hook is sometimes used with 
other styles of rein ends. 


REIN ENDS 


181 



Fig. i. 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. 4. 






































































































































CHAPTER XVI. 


COACH AND WAGON BRIDLES. 

I N manufacturing bridles, the harness maker 
has an excellent opportunity to exercise taste 
in designing and embellishing, for in no part of 
the harness is there so much opportunity given to 
introduce new ideas without interfering with the 
proper shape of the article ; then, too, they are the 
most ornate part of the harness, and there is less 
liability to overdo in decoration. The winkers 
may be made in a variety of styles, stitched 
plain or in fancy patterns; the cheeks can be 
finished up in different ways, while the crowns, 
face pieces, fronts, gag runners, nose and chin 
pieces are all susceptible of a variety of changes 
in form or finish. There is no portion of a coach 
harness more difficult to make, and for that rea¬ 
son the bridle maker holds a high position in the 
business. 

The general details for making are given in 
connection with the instructions for making har¬ 
ness in a previous chapter. Attaching the wink¬ 
ers to the cheeks must be done in the best manner 
to prevent them from “ hingingalways clean 
off the gum where the patent leather enters the 


COACH BRIDLES. 


183 




Fig. 2. 




















































184 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 

check pieces, so that the paste may adhere, and 
skive off to secure a smooth job. 

The most popular patterns for coach winkers 
are the slightly ovaled end and the full oval. 
For light buggy and road harness, square or 
square with round corners are preferred. Coupe, 
team, and heavy express winkers are similar to 
those used for coaches, while for wagon, cart, 
and other cheap harness the square pattern is 
preferred. The various plates in this book will 
give the reader a good idea of the popular form 
for winkers, though other styles are also used 
to a considerable extent. The illustrations of 
bridles in connection with this chapter show 
some of the distinctive patterns in detail. Fig. 1 
represents the English coach bridle with the oval 
winker. This is the popular style for all coach 
and heavy coupe harness, though no exclusive 
pattern of winkers, cheek loops, or crown piece 
layers is followed. It is known as the bradoon 
swivel, the peculiarity being the attaching of the 
check rein to a billet stitched to the crown piece, 
passing it through a swivel on the bradoon bit, 
thence up to the gag runner. The cuttings are : 


Crown piece. 

Ends, split 
Layer .... 

Gag runners. 

Front. 


Length, 

Width, 

inches. 

inches. 

. 28 

if 

. 6|- 

f 

• 9 

f 

, 12 

f 

. 28 

1* 







COACH BRIDLES, 


18 


T* 

3 


Fig. 3. 




























l86 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


Length, 
inches. 

Nose and chin piece. 33 

Cheeks. 29 

Made up between buckles. 8 

Bradoon rein. 26 

Rounded. 20 

Center rein. 60 

Throat latch. 27 

Crown billets for bradoon rein 13 

Face piece. 12 

Billet. 

Winker strap. 13 

Billet. 5 

Split. 7 

The narrow loops and center bar buckles 
give this bridle a showy appearance, but the 
regular buckles and pipe cheek loops are the 
most popular. With this and all other bridles 
where the face piece is used, a thin piece of steel 
should be attached to the under side to keep it 
in position. 

Fig. 2 represents another style of bradoon 
bridle, in which the bradoon bit is attached to a 
round cheek piece, and the swivel is dispensed 
with. It is claimed that a bridle of this kind 
causes the horse less pain, while being equally 
as effective as a check. The lengths for cutting 
are the same as those for Fig. 1, with the excep¬ 
tion of the round cheeks, which must be ten 
inches long between the buckles. 


Width. 

inches. 


3 













CARRIAGE BRIDLES, 


187 



Fig. 5. 


Fig. G. 



























188 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 



Fig. 7. 



Fig. 8. 
















































COACH AND WAGON BRIDLES. 189 

Fig. 3 represents a third style of bradoon 
bridle, the extra cheek being flat. 

Fig. 4 is also a bradoon bridle, but differs from 
the preceding ones in the manner of attaching 
the gag runner. 

Fig. 5 represents a plainer style of bridle, 
suited to the lighter grades of coach and road 
harness. 

Fig. 6 is designed for light double harness ; 
one of the plainest kinds in use. 

Fig. 7 represents a very neat bridle for single 
or light double harness. 

Fig. 8, a plain bridle with a half Kemble-Jack- 
son check. 

Fig. 9, a heavy bridle for a team harness ; the 
. tucr S on the ends of the cheeks are cut of 
patent leather, and may be ornamented, with 
monograms or initial letters. 

Fig. 10 is designed for a team bridle, but is 
made up without winkers; the cheeks may be 
made as represented, or rounded. The latter 
appear much the lightest. The face piece may 
be flat or round. The most popular style of 
finishing is to round the ends below the face or¬ 
nament, leaving the upper part flat. 

Fig. 11 represents a plain team harness bridle 
without winkers, the cheeks made up with 
patent leather ornaments and without buckles ; 
the crown, cheeks, and throat latch billets are cut 
of one piece; the ornaments are stitched to the 
cheeks at the front piece, and held in position by 
two loops; or the patent leather ornaments may 


190 THE FARNESS MAKERS ILLUSTRATED MANUAL, 



% 


Fig. 9. 







































WAGON BRIDLES. 


I 9 I 



Fig. 10. 











































192 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

be lined and stitched, leaving the ends open to 
admit the cheek pieces ; a cross face piece can 
be used in place of the nose piece, if preferred. 
The crown and cheeks are cut thirty-eight inches 
long. The measurements for the other straps 
are the same as those used for regular team 
bridles. 

Fig. 12 represents a German Court bridle. 

Crown pieces are made up in a variety of 
styles, a number of which are given on page 
195. A and B have the straight layer, but dif¬ 
ferent styles of cheeks; C has no layer, the 
gag runner being attached to the throat latch 
billet; D has a folded crown piece with the 
layer, throat latch, and cheek billets cut in one, 
the layer being cut with an extra billet for the 
gag runner ring; E has the plain double waved 
layer; F has a short layer for the half Kemble- 
Jackson check, the gag runner being attached to 
the check. The same style of layer is used for 
the full Kemble-Jackson check. In both instances 
the opening for the check is made by a wedge- 
shaped piece stitched between the layer and 
crown piece. G shows the crown, with a short 
layer for securing the head terret, and an extra 
billet for the gag runner; H shows a plain strap 
layer, with an oval loop and a ring for a gag 
runner. This is used for carrying the gag rein 
well up and close to the cheek. I shows the 
common fold crown, with a plain waved layer. 


WAGON BRIDLES, 


x 93 



Fig. it 

























194 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual. 



Fig. 12. 






















BRIDLES. 



























































































































































CHAPTER XVII 


RIDING BRIDLES. 

R IDING bridles, though forming a very im¬ 
portant portion of the harness maker’s stock, 
are much less varied in character than most other 
leading articles, because display is not an impor¬ 
tant matter except in a limited number of cases. 
The military and ladies’ dress bridles are the only 
ones ornamented to any extent; even in these 
the principal strapping is a duplicate of the less 
pretentious article. The ornamenting consists of 
cross face or other similar decorations. 

Bridles take their name, except in isolated cases, 
from the style of bit used, the headstall of a Pel¬ 
ham, bradoon, port, or snaffle being of the same 
pattern, made up with or without billets for the 
bit rings. Figs, i, 2, and 3 represent a bradoon, or 
loose ring, a double rein port, and a Pelham, the 
strapping, with the exception of the reins, being 
the same in all. The regular lengths and widths 
for cutting with and without billets are: 

Length, Width, 
inches, inches. 


Crown piece. 24 if 

Split. 7 




RIDING BRIDLES. 


197 



Fig. 1. 


Fig. 2. 


Fig. 3. 


Bradoor. 


Double Rein Post. 


Pelham. 































































































198 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


Cheeks. 

Length, 

inches. 

.... 13 

Width, 

inches. 

3 

4 

Without billets. 

. 15 

f 

Billets. 

.... 8 

I 

Throat latch, two buckfks. 


5 

Front. 


f 

Reins. 

.... 52 

1 

Billets. 

.... 8 

1 

Without billets. 

.... 56 

I 


Fig. 4 is a plain snaffle bridle, the lengths for 
cutting being the same as those previously notic¬ 
ed ; Fig. 5 is a single round cheek bridle, in which 
but two pieces are used for the cheeks and crown; 
the threat latch is cut in one piece and is rounded 
the whole length, the ends being joined by a 
leather tassel. The cuttings are : 


Cheek, buckle side 
billet side. 
rounded .. 

Billets. 

Throat latch. 

Reins. 

rounded. 

Billets. 

Front. 

rounded. 

Curb straps. 


Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

20 f 

24 f 

12 

9 I 

39 I 

54 f 

18 



Fig. 6 is a double cheek bridle with a plain port 
and a light bradoon bit. The cheeks and crown 





















RIDING BRIDLES. 


I99 




Fig. 4. 

Plain Snaffle. 


Fig.- 5. 

Round Check. 











200 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


piece for each bit are cut in one piece. The cut¬ 


tings are : 

Length, Width, 
inches, inches. 

Port cheeks and crown. 34 | 

rounded. 12 

Bradoon cheeks and crown. 36 f 

rounded. 12 

Billets. 8 f- 


Fig. 7 represents another style of double cheek 
bridle, the cuttings for which are the same as for 
Fig. 5, both cheeks being of the same length ; 
the nose strap, which may be used or not, is cut 
three quarters of an inch wide and twenty-eight 
inches long, and rounded fifteen inches. 

Fig. 8 represents a double cheek bridle, in which 
the cheek pieces on each side are cut in one ; the 
* crown piece for the cheek is also cut as one ; it is 
doubled and buckled on the crown, and is provided 
with two small slide loops; the throat latch and 
crown are cut in one as are also the nose and chin 
pieces. The cuttings are : 

Length, Width, 
inches. inches. 

Cheeks . 33 I 

rounded. 24 

Billets... 3 3. 

Crown piece, made up as hame strap 24 f 

Throat latch. 39 £ 

Fig. 9 represents a style of double cheek and 

bit bridle made up with long cheeks and with¬ 
out billets. The cuttings are : 











RIDING BRIDLES. 


201 




Fig. 8. 


Double Check, Port, and Double Check, Round. 

Bradoor. 























202 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


Cheeks, port, buckle side 

billet side. 

Bradoon, bit, buckle side 

billet side. 

Throat latch.•. 

Front, made up. 

Bradoon reins. 

Port reins. 

Billets. 

The peculiarity of these bridles is the manner 
in which the port cheeks and throat latches are 
cut and made up, and the use of separate straps 
for the crown and cheeks for the bradoon bits. 
The English Weymouth bridle is not as popular 
in this country as the port and bradoon. It has 
double cheeks, one of which is buckled into the 
ring on the top of the bit check, the other is cut 
longer and is buckled into the rein ring at the end 
of the mouth piece, the bit used being the Pelham. 

Three kinds of leather are used for bridles— 
black harness, russet, and buff. Light weights 
should be used in all cases, and the cheek straps 
and reins cut from the firmest part of the side. 
English russet has long been a favorite brand of 
leather, but the better grades of American are 
equal to it in every respect. Buff leather is used 
to a considerable extent for flat fancy bridles, to 
be used with saddles having seat and knee pads 
made of buckskin. This leather, being soft, is not 


Length, Width, 
inches, inches. 

20 | 

24 I 

22 f 

26 i 

22 f 

13 i 

90 I 

96 £ 

8 £ 











RIDING BRIDLES. 


203 


Fig. 7. 




Fig. g. 








































204 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual. 


creased, and is stitched no more than is absolutely 
necessary to secure the various straps. Cheap 
bridles are sometimes made up with plated 
rosettes, but leather is used on all liner grades. 




CHAPTER XVIII. 


HALTERS. 

H ALTERS constitute a very important part of 
the harness maker’s stock. The varieties are 
numerous ; though apparently unnecessary, they 
are required to suit the preferences of different 
sections of the country, and render it obligatory 
on harness makers to be prepared at all times to 
meet the demands of their customers. The many 
illustrations in this chapter will enable the manu¬ 
facturer to present to his customers correct 
representations to select from, while the lengths 
for cutting and the directions for making up will 
be found of great value in the work shop. 

Fig. i. represents the United States Gov¬ 
ernment regulation halter, the principal merit of 
which is its strength and simplicity ; it is easy to 
adjust, and can not be slipped off by the horse 
rubbing his head against posts or other objects. 
The lengths for cutting are : 

Inches. 


Crown piece. 26 

Chape. 8 

Cheeks. 14 





206 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 



Fig. 2 . 



Fig. i. 





















HALTERS. 


207 


Inches. 


Throat piece. 22 

Chin piece, if double. 30 

single. 18 

Nose piece. 18 

Bolt piece. 18 

made up. 6 

Hitching strap, or stem. 84 

Billet. 10 


The regulation width is ii inches; for general 
use, however, 1 inch is wide enough. 

Fig. 2 is the Spanish halter; it bears a gen¬ 
eral resemblance to Fig. 1, from which it was 
modeled, but it is put together in a different 
manner; has a front and a cockeye attached to 
the bolt piece ; all the straps but the front are 
cut long, and are doubled and stitched. The 


lengths for cutting are : 

Inches. 

Crown piece. 42 

Buckle chape.. 8 

Throat piece. 28 

Buckle chape. 21 

Cheek pieces. 17 

Nose piece. 34 

Chin piece. 36 

Bolt piece. 10 

Front. 19 


All the straps but the front are ij inches wide ; 
the latter is 1 inch wide; Q rings are used for 



















ILLUSTRATED MANUA 


208 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ 



3 


















HALTERS. 


209 


the upper, and square loops for the lower, ends 
of the cheeks. 

Fig. 3 is a heavy French stall halter of orna¬ 
mental design and finish; it is used as a bridle 
halter as well. The cutting lengths are: 

Inches. 


Crown piece. 24 

End split. 5 

Cheek pieces. n 

Nose piece. 16 

Chin piece. 17 

Chape. 6 

Throat latch. 22 

Front. 18 

Lining to nose piece. 24 


The crown piece is 2 \ inches wide, the cheeks 
11 inches, and all other straps 1 inch; the lining, 
which is of patent leather, is 2 \ inches wide in 
the center. 

Fig. 4 is a heavy cleaning, or groom, hal¬ 
ter. The nose piece is made with a flat iron 
top, having three rings attached, these being 
used to secure the horse’s head in any desired 
position. The nose piece plate is lined with 
heavy leather, and padded. The lengths for cut¬ 
ting are : 

Inches. 


Crown piece. 22 

Split.. 6 

Cheeks.;. 15 














210 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL, 




Fig. 5 



















































































HALTERS. 


21 T 


Inches. 


Throat latch. 22 

Front. 2 7 

Nose piece. 13 

Pad roll. 11 

Chin billet. 11 

Chape... 6 


The crown piece is cut i| inches, the throat 
latch | of an inch, all other straps 1 inch wide. 

Fig. 5 represents a training halter of a 
neat and tasty design. All the principal straps 
are cut of bridle or buff leather, or of heavy 
twilled white web; the chapes of black harness 
leather for light colored leather halters, and 
bridle or buff leather for web halters. 1 he 
chapes are all of an ornamental pattern; those 
for securing the ends of the strapping to the 
rings are cut double, those holding the throat 
strap rings have a small billet by which the rings 
are secured. The lengths for cutting are: 


Inches. 

Long cheek piece. 23 

Short “ “ . l 7 

Throat piece. *8 

Nose piece. 12 

Chin piece. 10 

Buckle chape. 8 

Bolt piece, made up. 6j 


The cheeks and bolt pieces are 1 inch wide, 
nose and chin pieces } of an inch wide. 















212 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL, 



Fig. 8. 





























































HALTERS. 


213 


Fig. 6 is another style of training halter, 
which, like the preceding one, is made of buff, 
russet, or black leather, or of linen web. When 
the latter is used, the chapes should be of russet 
leather ; metallic rosettes having a stout center 
pin and four loops on the under side are used to 
connect the various parts, thus dispensing with 
buckles except on the throat latch chape ; if these 
rosettes are not accessible, square loops may be 
used for the lower ends of the cheeks, and a 
buckle be attached to the short cheek piece, 
using fancy or plain leather for rosettes. The 
lengths for cutting are : 

Inches. 

Long cheek, including crown piece 27 


Short cheek. 15 

Front. 19 

Chin piece. 18 

Nose piece. 18 

Throat latch. 17 


Billet. 9 

If web and leather layers are used, deduct from 
these lengths 3 inches for each lap. The cheeks 
are cut i£ inches, the nose, front, and chin 1 inch, 
and the throat latch £ of an inch wide. 

Fig. 7 represents a bitting halter, one of 
the most desirable styles in use. It closely 
resembles the straight cheek style of years past, 
the only difference being in the manner of attach¬ 
ing the throat piece, and in the use of two short 
cheeks. This may be made of buff, russet, or 








214 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual 




Fig. 9. 



























HALTERS. 


2I 5 


black leather. The buckles used on the checks 
are extra heavy, the side bar being made to 
answer as a substitute for loops to which the 
throat piece is attached. The lengths for cutting 
are: 

Inches. 


Crown piece. 32 

Cheeks. 10 

Chin, double. 24 

Buckle chape. 8 

Nose. 18 

Throat piece. 22 

Loop piece. 15 


All the straps with the exception of the throat 
piece are cut ij inches wide ; this is cut 1 inch. 

Fig. 8 closely resembles Fig. 7, the difference 
being in the manner of attaching the throat 
strap, and the use of but one buckle on the 
cheeks. The cuttings are the same, with the 
exception of the cheek pieces, which are cut: 

Inches. 


Long cheek. 25 

Short cheek. 16 


The loops used for securing the throat piece 
are of metal or leather, and are provided with a 
short screw, by which they are held in position. 

Fig. 9 represents a strong stable halter, 
of different construction than any previously no¬ 
ticed. The cheeks, crowns, and throat latch arc 
cut so as to obviate the use of the usual buckles or 
rings in the cheek pieces. The billet to the stem 











216 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 



Fig. 12. 




Fig. ii. 
































HALTERS. 


2I 7 


and the bolt, or loop piece, are also in one piece. 
The lengths for cutting are : 

Inches. 


Long cheek, including throat latch .. 52 
Short cheek, including billet to throat 

latch. 29 

Front, double. 22 

Nose, double. 23 

Chin, double. 23 

Billet to stem. 18 


Fig. 10 represents another peculiar style, com¬ 
monly known as the Yankee halter. It is de¬ 
signed for a slip halter, and is easily made. The 
lengths for cutting are : 

Inches. 


Head piece. 50 

Nose piece. 28 

Braces. 12 

Hitching strap. 84 


All the straps are cut of uniform width, either 
1 or ij inches. Attach the braces 9 inches from 
the ring on the head piece. 

Fig. 11 represents a double cheek halter, de¬ 
signed to be used for training purposes. The 
lengths for cuttings are: 

Inches. 


Crown. 20 

Buckle chape. 8 

Cheeks. 22 

Billets. 9 

Extra crown piece. 22 
















2l8 the harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 


Inches. 


Nose piece. 18 

Chin piece, double.24 

Front. 22 

Throat latch. 22 


The crown piece is cut 1 inch wide; all other 
straps, f of an inch wide. 

Fig. 12 represents another style of four ring 
halter, the buckles being in the cheek pieces ; 
the rings may be covered with a rosette, if de¬ 
sired. The lengths for cutting are * 


Crown. 

Cheeks. 

Cheek billets 
Nose piece.. 
Chin, double. 
Throat piece 
Bolt piece... 


Inches. 

17 
14 

7 

18 
30 
26 

Si 


The cheeks, crown, and bolt piece are cut ij 
inches wide; the other straps, 1 inch. 

Fig. 13 is also designed fora training halter. 
The lengths for cutting are : 

Inches. 


Long cheek and crown..*.... 32 

Short cheek. 15 

1 hroat latch and crown in one. 42 

Nose piece, double. 24 

Chin piece, double. 23 

Loop piece. 8 



















HALTERS. 


219 




Fig. 13. 



Fig. 14. 



Fig. 15. 














































































220 THE HARNESS-MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

All the straps are i inch wide, excepting the 
front: this is f of an inch. 

Fig. 14 represents a double cheek halter with¬ 
out buckles, except on the top of the crown. 
The nose and cheeks are secured in position by a 
layer which secures the rings; the throat latch 
is stitched to the back cheek piece just below the 
face piece. The lengths for cutting are: 

Inches. 


Cheeks. 21 

Throat latch. 20 

Billet. 6 

Nose piece, double. 23 

Chin piece, double. 25 

Loop piece. 8 


The cheeks are cut inch wide ; other straps, 
1 inch. 

Fig. 15 represents a four ring halter with 
front, and buckles on the cheeks. The lengths 
for cutting are: 

Inches. 


Cheeks. 12 

Billets. 5-I- 

Crown piece. 18 

Buckle chape. 8 


All other straps, as well as the widths, the 
same as in Fig. 1 

Fig. 16 represents a very convenient slip hal¬ 
ter. The lengths for cutting are : 












halters. 


221 


Inches. 

Crown piece. 21 

Throat and cheek pieces in one.38 

Nose and chin piece in one.24 


All the straps are cut 1 inch wide. 

Fig. 17 represents a convenient style of team 
halter to be worn with the bridle. The lengths 
for cutting are: 

Inches. 


Crown and throat latch in one. 30 

Nose and chin strap in one.26 

Cheeks. 10 

Bolt piece. 7 


Cuttings for a common bridle or three ring 
halter: 

Length, Width, 

inches. inches. 


Cheek, including crown piece. 34 1 

Short. 12 1 

Front.24 1 

Noseband. 18 1 

Chin, doubled. 30 •§■ 

Bolt piece. 18 1 

Throat latch. 39 f 

Stem. 84 1 

Billet. 9 1 

Bit strap. 9 1 


A web halter: 

Crown. 24 i-J 

Cheeks. 8 i{ 

Chapes. 5 






















222 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 



Fig. 17. 











HALTERS. 


223 


Length, 

Width, 


inches. 

inches. 

Front. 


Ij 

Chapes. 

... 8 


Nose. 


H 

Throat latch, leather. 

39 


Chin piece, leather. 

...30 

.3 

4 

Bolt piece. 

...18 

1 


Yankee one ring- halter: 

Crown piece, nose and chin in one 84 1 

Braces. 12 1 

To make this halter, cut for the. buckle 
tongue, and bend down the buckle lap; then 
measure off 12 inches, and bend down - for ring ; 
then 28 inches, and bend for nose band; then 
place the brace in the center between the front of 
the nose band and center of the chin piece at the 
ring ; cross the strap through the ring, and bring 
the crown end up on the off side: this will place 
the buckle on the near side. Set the crown piece 
at an angle so as to take the upper end of the 
braces. This makes a convenient halter, which 
easily adjusts itself to the head of any horse. 









CHAPTER XIX. 


HORSE BOOTS. 


HE artist who pictured a horse on the track 



i- with his legs encased in boots, etc., from the 
bottom of the hoof up to the body, was not so far 
from the truth as many persons would suppose, 
for there is no part of the limb, from the knee 
down, for which boots are not made. The illus¬ 
trations in this chapter represent the general 
styles, though not all the varieties in the market. 
There are many patented boots, some of them 
possessing merit, a description of which would be 
of no practical use to the harness maker. There 
are several classes of boots, such as the knee, 
shin, ankle, quarter, and combination, each of 
which has its distinctive name. 

The illustrations in this chapter have an advan¬ 
tage over those found elsewhere, in that nearly 
all are drawn in exact proportions; and the de¬ 
scriptions are such that a harness maker may 
readily furnish a customer with any desired pat¬ 
tern. Making horse boots is not a simple opera¬ 
tion : success depends upon their being so con¬ 
structed that they will retain their position with¬ 
out being strapped so tight as to interfere with 
the freest movement of the horse’s leg. To ac- 


HORSE BOOTS. 


225 

complish this, the leather used for shields must 
be worked up firm and the securing straps placed 
where they will draw in direct lines. When full¬ 
ness is to be given to the shields, the best plan is 
to cut out a V and stitch the edges together; 
they may, however, be stamped up with dies. 
For convenience, each class will be described 
separately. 

Fig. 1 represents one of the best styles of knee 
boot in use ; it is made of heavy bridle leather, 
cut in two pieces, as shown by A and B ; the 
former is worked up nearly flat, except that por¬ 
tion below D, where it is shaped to fit to B, 
which is worked up full in the center ; a gore is 
taken out at C, and the edges joined to secure the 
shape. The securing strap, D, is of medium 
weight bridle leather, and is stitched to the shield 
before the lining is put in. The lining, which is 
of buckskin, is turned in all around, so that the 
edge is placed between the two pieces, and stitch¬ 
ed down all around ; a very little wool or hair is 
placed between the two, and the center is secured 
by stitching at the highest point in the shield B. 
The securing strap is also lined with buckskin 
and stuffed Avith felt; the billet, Avhich is twenty 
inches long and one half inch wide, is stitched to 
the securing strap. The buckle chape is stitched to ’ 
a strong loop at the other end of the main strap ; 
the two small loops hold the billet in position, it 
being passed around the boot before it is buckled ; 
the drawing is one quarter size. 

Fig. 2 is a plain, heavy knee boot. This is cut 


226 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 




Fig. 2. 


























































































HORSE BOOTS. 


227 


from one piece of leather ; that portion above the 
securing strap is flat, the lower part has a half 
inch raise in the center; the lining is of buckskin, 
wool or hair being used for padding. The secur¬ 
ing strap is cut of good, firm leather, and lined 
with buckskin, padded with felt. The billet is 
cut one half inch wide and fourteen inches long. 
There are five small loops, each one inch long, 
placed as shown on the main strap. The draw¬ 
ing is one quarter size. 

Fig. 3 represents a peculiar shaped but desir¬ 
able knee boot. It is cut from one piece of har¬ 
ness or bridle leather; the cap piece is gored in 
two places, to produce the requisite fullness ; it is 
lined with buckskin and padded with a single 
thickness of felt; the lining is cut large and the 
edge turned in so as to form a roll all around ; 
two heavy pads are attached to the under side as 
bearings ; one is shown by the line X, the other is 
placed directly under the buckle ; the center-pad 
is nearly one inch thick, the one under the buckle 
is about three quarters of an inch thick ; both are 
made of felt placed under the buckskin. This 
boot when made up is nine inches long. The 
proportions in the drawing are based upon that 
measurement. 

Fig 4 differs but little in shape from Fig. 3, but 
is made up plainer. The proportions are the 
same. 

Figs. 6 and 7 represent two patterns of knee 
boots of an entirely different model from the above. 
They are also much lighter. The body of Fig. 


£23 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 



Fig. 3- 



Fig. 4 . 


Fig. 5 . 
















































HORSE BOOTS. 


229 


6 is made of enameled leather, lined throughout 
with buckskin ; the shield is of heavy harness 
leather struck up full, and slightly padded with 
felt. The bearing pads, shown by the dotted 
lines, are raised about three quarters of an inch ; 
they are of felt, covered with buckskin. The 
long or top billet is cut eight inches long and 
three quarters of an inch wide ; the bottom billet 
is cut six inches long and three quarters of an inch 
wide ; a small gore is cut at X; the edges are 
drawn together and blind stitched before the 
lining is stitched in. The drawing is one third 
the full size. 

Fig. 7, though designed for the same purpose 
as Fig. 6, is much lighter, and, being more open, 
is less likely to bind when on the knee. The 
lower billet is so placed that it does not bear 
upon the cords sufficiently to displace it when the 
knee is bent. It is made up in the same manner 
and of similar material as Fig. 6. The upper or 
leg strap is cut nineteen inches long and five 
eighths of an inch wide ; the lower billet is cut 
ten inches long and one half inch wide. The 
other proportions, as shown, are one third the 
full size. 

Fig. 5 represents a knee pad or breaking boot; 
the body is made of heavy felt; the leg strap is 
stitched to the felt and lined with buckskin; 
the knee safe is made of several thicknesses of 
bridle leather, worked up full in the center. 

Combination boots are made in a great variety 
of styles, there being at least fifty different pat- 


2JO THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 



Fig. 6 . 


Fig. 7. 












































HORSE BOOTS. 


2 3 I 


terns in use. The principal portion of the shield 
is designed expressly to protect the shin ; to this 
is attached a cap piece for covering the knee or 
ankle. The styles illustrated comprise the regu¬ 
larlines, and, with the slight variations necessary 
to secure a good fit, are all that are needed. 

Fig. 8 represents a shin and ankle boot. The 
body is made of heavy felt, the shield of harness 
leather, worked up full at the ankle end ; the lat¬ 
ter is stitched to the body with a single row 
around the edge and a few stitches at each end. 
The shaded spaces on each side represent strips 
of leather; the blank space A, strips of elastic 
web; these are attached to the body by the 
stitching shown on the strips nearest the shield; 
the remaining portion of the webs and the straps 
to which the buckle chapes and billets are at¬ 
tached are left loose, the portion of the body 
under them acting as a safe ; by the use of these 
elastic strips the boot is freed from the rigidity 
so often noticeable, and the horse is relieved from 
any undue pressure. The shield when made 
up is eight inches long ; the reduced size of the 
drawing is based upon that measurement. 

Another style of shin and ankle boot is shown 
by Fig. 9, which may also be used as a shin and 
knee boot. The body is of heavy felt, bound on 
the top and bottom edges with thin leather, and 
lined throughout with buckskin ; the shield is 
padded with hair. The dimensions of this boot 
are : body, nine inches wide and six and one half 
inches deep; the billets arc four inches, and the 


2 32 THE 


HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 












































































































































































































HORSE ROOTS. 


233 


buckle chapes three inodes, long. The shield is 
reduced in the same propoi dons as the body. 

A light cord and knee boot is shown by Fig. 
10. The body is made of black enameled leather, 
lined with buckskin, double stitched. The shield 
is of heavy harness leather, worked up full and 
padded with hair, the buckskin lining extending 
the full length of the shield. The billets are cut 
three eighths of an inch wide and seven inches 
long, the buckle chapes the same width and one 
and one quarter inches long; the proportions are 
one sixth the full size. 

Fig. 11 illustrates a knee and cord boot of an¬ 
other pattern. The body is cut of medium 
weight harness leather, and bound with light 
enameled leather; the leg strap is made of strips 
of black enameled leather, stitched together on 
the edges and through the center, and stuffed 
with hair; it is attached to the body by two 
thicknesses of black enameled leather ; the shield 
is of heavy leather, padded with hair. The bil¬ 
lets on the body are live inches long and one half 
inch wide; the billet on the leg strap is five and 
one half inches long and one half inch wide. The 
drawing is one sixth actual size. 

Fig. 12 represents a combined shin, ankle, and 
cord boot. The body, B, is of heavy felt, bound 
with buckskin ; the shield, A, of heavy harness 
leather, worked up full at the lower end ; D, a 
piece of heavy leather, lined with buckskin, 
stuffed with hair so as to make a cushion about 
one half inch thick; C, two pieces of elastic 


234 the harness makers illustrated manual 



Fig. io. 


Fig. ii. 































































HORSE BOOTS. 


235 


web, the outside piece Teing cut a little wider 
than the other; the web is secured in position by 
the stitching which is used to attach the shield 
A and piece D to the body and lining; the billets 
are attached at the shield, and pass through small 
loops near the outer edge of the body ; E repre¬ 
sents the cord piece, made of heavy leather, lined 
with buckskin at the lower end, an inside layer 
being attached at the top of the cap and extend¬ 
ing up to the top, where there are two holes, as 
shown in E, through which a round leather lacer 
passes, and by which the top ends are joined. 
When the cord piece is used, the thin piece is 
placed between the two pieces of web, C, and 
the top, secured by the lacer. The drawing is 
one fourth the actual size. 

Two other styles of combination boots arc 
shown by Figs. 13 and 14, an ankle and wrist 
boot. Fig 13, the body, is of heavy blue kersey, 
bound with light enameled leather; the shield is 
of heavy harness leather; the ankle portion is 
worked up full and hard ; owing to the thickness 
of the material used in the body, no stuffing is 
used. The wrist strap is of elastic web; it passes 
between the shield and body, and is held in posi¬ 
tion by the stitching. The billets for the top are 
cut five and one half inches long and one half inch 
wide ; the kersey body is cut nine and one half 
inches wide across the top and eight inches long; 
the shield is three and three quarter inches in di¬ 
ameter ; all other parts are drawn to the same 
scale. 


236 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL, 



Fig. 14. 



Fig. 13. 















































HORSE BOOTS. 


237 


Fig. 14 represents a combined shin, ankle, and 
wrist boot, made up of the same materials and in 
the same manner as Fig. 13. It is cut two inches 
longer than the latter, otherwise the proportions 
are the same ; the billets are cut five inches long 
and one half inch wide. The wrist web is seven- 
eighths of an inch wide. 

Fig. 15 shows a design of shin and ankle boot 
intended as a protection to the hind legs. The 
body is made of black enameled leather, lined 
throughout with buckskin. The shin shield has 
but little fullness, and is padded on the under 
side with hair placed between the enameled 
leather and the buckskin, the padded section be¬ 
ing quilted to hold the hair in position. The 
body to the ankle portion is also of enamel¬ 
ed leather, lined in like manner as the shin 
body ; the shield is of harness leather, worked up 
full and hard* The set of this piece depends 
much upon the position of the billets and buckle 
chape; these are shown in their proper position. 
The body of the shin boot is eight and three 
quarter inches across the top and ten and three 
quarter inches across the bottom ; the shield is 
seven and three quarter inches long; the ankle 
shield is two and three quarter inches in diam¬ 
eter, all other proportions being relatively the 
same. The ankle billet is cut eight inches long 
and five eighth inches wide, about one half the 
length being rounded and covered with buck¬ 
skin. 

A shin, ankle, and speedy cut boot is shown by 


238 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 












































IIORSE ROOTS. 


2 39 


Fig-. 16, which, like the-preceding boot, is de¬ 
signed ior the hind leg, the pattern being one of 
the best in use ; the speedy cut portion, C, is 
made up separate from the shin boot, and is held 
in position by the lower billet of the latter pass¬ 
ing through a long loop on the top end. The 
body, B, is of heavy kersey; the shield, of harness 
leather, worked up slightly in the leg part and 
full at the ankle; the under side of the shield is 
padded with hair; the pastern piece, C, is of black 
enameled leather, lined with buckskin; the shield, 
D, of harness leather, slightly rounded up ; the 
billet attached to the pastern piece is covered for 
about one half its length with buckskin. The 
two upper boot billets are five inches long and 
five-eighths of an inch wide ; the lower billet is cut 
nine inches long; the pastern billet is cut eight 
inches long, one half inch wide. The illustration 
is drawn to one quarter the full size. 

Fig. 17 represents an improved ankle boot, 
lighter than most other kinds, and the location of 
the shield is such as to give greater protection to 
the ankle than that of the ordinary boot. The 
body is cut of harness leather; the shield, which 
is two and one half inches in diameter, is made of 
harness leather, worked up full and hard; a gore 
is taken out of the body, the edges are closed up 
smooth under the concave of the shield. Two 
bearing cushions are used, one under the buckle 
chape, the other as shown by the dotted lines 
near the billet; these arc of felt, covered with 
buckskin; the one under the chape is two and 


240 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 



Fig. 16, 

































HORSE BOOTS. 


2 41 


one quarter inches; the other, one and one 
half inches long and seven eighths of an inch 
wide ; the boot is lined throughout with thin 
patent leather. The full measurements are: 
length on the top line, eight and one half inches; 
width of square ends, one inch; depth at the 
widest point, four inches. The center of the 
shield is six and one quarter inches from the top 
corner at the billet end and five inches at the 
buckle end ; the billet is six inches long and one 
half inch wide. 

Fig. 18 represents a plain, cheap ankle boot; 
the body is of heavy kersey, single or double ; 
the shield is of harness leather, worked up full 
and hard at the ankle ; the shield is six inches 
long and three and one half inches wide at 
the widest point and two inches wide at 
the top; the proportions of the bod)" are based 
upon this measurement. The billets are five and 
one half inches long and one half inch wide; 
they, as well as the buckle chapes, are stitched to 
the body two and one half inches back of the 
edges. 

A more expensive boot is shown by Fig. 19. 
The shield is of heavy russet leather struck up 
full and hard; the body is of heavy kersey, 
bound with buckskin; the leg strap is of russet 
leather; it is nine inches long and one inch wide 
it, as well as the shield, is secured to the body 
by a single row of stitching. The various pro¬ 
portions arc: shield, four and one half inches 
long, three and one half inches wide at the 


242 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL, 



Fig. 17. 



Fig. 18 


d 


























HORSE BOOTS. 


243 


broadest point and two inches at the leg strap ; 
the bearing pad, A, is one and one half inches 
long and one half inch thick; the billet is cut 
six inches long and one half inch wide. 

Fig. 20 represents the hard leather cup ankle 
boot. The body is cut of heavy harness leather ; 
a large gore is cut out of the top side, the edges 
of which are afterwards joined and blind stitch¬ 
ed on the outside; the edges of the gore must be 
cut with a slight curve, in order to secure a re¬ 
gular circular fullness ; the layer is cut of heavy 
leather, worked up full and stitched to the body; 
the buckle chape is cut three and one half inches 
long, and the billet eleven inches long. Two bear¬ 
ing cushions are used; one is shown by C, the 
outlines of the other by the dotted line near the 
top of the shield. These are of buckskin, stuffed 
with hair. The inside of the boot is skived off 
smooth all around the lower edge, care being 
taken to avoid all irregularities. The small cut 
A represents a side view of this boot. The 
large drawing is one half actual size. 

Heel boots constitute a distinct class, of which 
there is a great variety ; but those shown by the 
illustrations are all that are required for general 
use. Fig. 21 represents a well fitting boot of this 
class ; the body is cut of medium weight harness 
leather; the layer is cut of heavy stock, worked 
up hard and stiffened by the layer under the 
shield ; three gores are cut out of the top of the 
body, and the edges are joined and secured by 
blind stitches ; a small section is gashed to form 


244 THE HARNESS makers’ illustrated manual. 



Fig. 20. 




























































































































HORSE BOOTS. 


245 


a fringe. The body is cut nine and one half 
inches long on the top line, four and one half 
inches deep in the center, and three inches at 
the ends ; the shield is six inches long and two 
and one half inches deep ; the billets are three 
inches long and one and one half inches wide. 

A plain, serviceable quarter boot is shown by 
Fig. 22 ; it is made of a single piece of heavy har¬ 
ness leather, lined with felt; the top edge is cut 
as shown to provide a yielding surface and pre¬ 
vent injury to the horse ; six gores are taken 
out of the bottom ; the edges are joined to pro¬ 
duce the required shape; the felt lining extends 
to the top and within one half inch of the bottom, 
and is secured as shown by the lines of stitching. 
Buckles are not used, the ends being fastened by 
means of loops attached to one, and holes cut 
through the other to admit their passing through; 
they are then locked by a heavy billet as shown. 
An ordinary boot is fourteen inches long on the 
top line of stitches, the line being described by a 
twelve inch radius; the lower line is contracted 
by the goring to twenty inches ; the depth when 
made up is four inches. 

Fig. 23 represents a toe boot for the hind foot; 
this is made up of heavy harness leather; the top 
section, indicated by the dotted line, is lined with 
buckskin and padded. The full length of the 
body is twelve inches ; depth, five and one half 
inches; the bottom line has a sweep of three 
inches ; the buckle and roller loop chape is cut 
three and one half inches long. 


246 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 































HORSE BOOTS. 


247 


Another boot designed for the same purpose 
is shown by Fig. 24; this is cut of heavy leather, 
the top being lined with buckskin to make a 
cushion one inch deep. 

Toe weight boots are designed for an entirely 
different purpose than those previously noticed, 
but they properly belong to this department. 

Fig. 25 represents a boot with two weights, A ; 
these are of lead, covered with leather. The 
body of the boot is of heavy leather, cut twenty- 
one and three quarter inches long on the lower 
line, and three and one eighth inches deep in the 
center. The billet is fourteen inches long and 
five eighths of an inch wide ; the buckle chape is 
nine and one half inches long; it is attached to 
the lower edge of the body, and passes through 
a slot on the opposite side ; the billet is attached 
in like manner and passed through a similar slot. 

Another toe weight is shown by Figs. 26 and 
27; the body, A, is of leather, having two slots as 
shown by X; the weight, B, is of lead, secured by 
an adjustable hook shown by Fig. 27; this is 
secured by a single strap which passes through 
the slots in. the body and hook. A combined 
weight and quarter boot is shown by Fig. 28. 
The body is cut of one piece, of heavy leather, 
the quarter form being produced by gores; the 
quarter is lined with heavy felt and stiffened by 
layers ; the toe weight and securing hook are se¬ 
cured by a piece of leather stitched to the body ; 
the securing strap is stitched to the toe, and 
passes through a roller loop back to the buckle. 


243 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 



Fig. 25. 



Fig. 26. 




Fig. 28. 






































CHAPTER XX. 


HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 

TN describing harness mountings, it is not the in- 
J- tention of the author to draw comparisons as 
to the respective merits of any class or style. The 
sole aim is to give a correct description of the va¬ 
rious kinds, their peculiarities of manufacture, 
and such other information as will enable the 
reader to judge as to the adaptability of any par¬ 
ticular style for a specific use. 

In order that they may be fully explained, they 
will be divided into five classes, as follows": 
Plated, whether silver, gold, or nickel; pure me¬ 
tal ; covered, whether leather or composition ; 
japanned, and tinned. 

Plated mountings are divided into two classes 
—close plate, those in which the fine metal is 
rolled out in thin sheets and applied as a covering 
to the iron or composition forming the body of 
the article, and caused to adhere by means of 
solder and heat; electro plate, those in which the 
fine metal is dissolved and formed into a liquid 
solution, into which the articles to be coated are 
suspended, and by the application of an electric 
current the fine metal is evenly deposited upon 
the surface of the iron or composition. 


250 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

The silver used for close plating is rolled out in 
sheets of various thicknesses, and designated by 
numbers, the lightest being No. 1 ; following this 
are three grades, designated as No. ij light, fair, 
and stout, the former weighing three penny¬ 
weights to a foot in length by 6J inches in width ; 
the second weighs 3^- pennyweights, while the 
third weighs 4^ pennyweights. Next to these 
are three grades, designated as No. 2 light, fair, 
and stout. The first weighs 5J-, the second 6J, 
and the third pennyweights to the foot. Fol¬ 
lowing these are three grades, designated as No. 
2 \ light, fair, and stout. The first weighs 8J, 
the second 9|-, and the third io|- pennyweights to 
the foot. The second is also designated as 
“ Knob and the third, “ Heavy Knob.” The 
latter is seldom used on harness mountings, as it 
can not be worked to an advantage except by the 
hard solder process, which is too expensive for 
harness work. “ Knob” silver is the heaviest 
used for the regular trade. 

It will be seen that there are eight grades of 
silver below the “ Knob,” which explains in part 
why there is so great a difference in the prices of 
plated goods of any one pattern; for, based upon 
the government standard, a foot of No. 1 silver, 
6^ inches wide, would be worth 13.6 cents, while 
a foot of “ Knob” silver would be 64.6; but the 
actual difference in the prices of the rolled plate 
is even greater than this. Then, too, the cost of 
labor is much greater for putting on heavy than 
light silver. The former is so thin that but little 


harness mountings. 


251 


labor is required to solder it to the article to be 
plated, while the extra thickness of the latter ne¬ 
cessitates extra skill and time. 

Buyers who are not experts are at a loss how 
to determine the quality of the plate. This can be 
done by examining the surface closely ; the thinner 
the silver the less dense and perfect the surface. 
No. 1 will show minute holes in great number, 
while the surface of “ Knob” will be perfect to the 
naked eye. It is not so easy to distinguish be¬ 
tween two succeeding grades, but by a little care 
a person who handles these goods can learn to 
select each distinct grade. Close plate can be 
easily distinguished from the electro plate. All 
that is required is to breathe upon the polished 
surface, and if it is close plate the seam where the 
metal is joined will be seen at a glance, it show¬ 
ing a bluish streak ; the heavier the plate the 
more distinct the seam. 

Electro plate is less durable than close plate ; 
but when deposited in sufficient quantity and 
hand burnished, it will wear well; the surface, 
however, is less perfect than the former, as the 
thin coating of silver is deposited evenly over the 
entire surface, and an irregularity in the casting 
will show itself after the work is burnished ; in 
fact, blemishes are more easily detected after be¬ 
ing plated and burnished than before, as the mi¬ 
nute depressions can not be reached by the bur¬ 
nisher, and they therefore show dead, white 
spots. 

The peculiar white lustre of silver distinguishes 


252 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

it from other metals, but there are other tests by 
which the uninitiated may satisfy themselves as 
to the quality. The simplest is to prepare a cold 
saturated solution of bichromate of potassa in ni¬ 
tric acid. A little of this may be applied to the 
surface (which must be perfectly clean) by means 
of a glass rod, and washed off immediately with 
cold water. If the article tested is pure silver, a 
blood-red colored mark will appear ; if the article 
is German silver, the liquid appears brown, but 
the mark shows no shade of red. On other white 
metals there are various actions, but in none but 
the silver does the red mark appear. 

Persons unacquainted with the nature of silver 
condemn an article as impure because of its tar¬ 
nishing. This is erroneous, as pure silver as¬ 
sumes a dingy reddish brown, and loses its lus¬ 
tre more readily than some of the composition 
white metals. 

Gold plating is always done by the electro pro¬ 
cess, the other processes for applying it to coars¬ 
er metal not being adapted to harness mountings. 
It is the most showy but frailest plating in use ; 
the thin deposit is naturally soft, and but little 
friction is required to remove it. If hand bur¬ 
nished, the gold is made more dense than other¬ 
wise ; but even this is not as durable as other 
plating. There is no such an article of manufac¬ 
ture as close plate gold, nor can there be unless a 
solder can be produced which will melt under a 
lower heat than gold, and as there is no such sol- 


HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 


253 


dcr at this time, all claims of a gold covered arti¬ 
cle being close plate are fraudulent. 

The introduction of nickel as a covering for 
mountings has produced a marked change in 
some lines of goods, supplanting as it has in a 
great measure burnishing on bits, stirrups, spurs, 
etc., and being largely used as a plate for all kinds 
of harness mountings. The nickel is deposited by 
the electro process, but, as it is a hard metal, it 
wears well. The color is a bluish white, more 
closely resembling finely polished steel than any 
thing else. It does not tarnish easily, and will 
not rust. The only objection to it aside from 
the color is that it will sometimes peel—that is, 
the nickel will become detached from the iron or 
composition core ; but this is due either to some 
defect in cleaning the surface to be plated or in 
the manner of depositing the nickel. Improve¬ 
ments are being made in the process of deposit¬ 
ing the nickel, and there is every reason to believe 
that the objectionable features will be overcome, 
and with the reduction in price it will take the 
place of tinned and other low priced white metal 
goods. 

The next class are those goods made of some 
composition metal, such as brass, oroide, alum¬ 
inum, and German silver. Brass has long been a 
favorite mounting, though in this country it has 
been deemed better suited to express and other 
heavy mountings than for coach or light carriage 
harness; but fashion has once more brought it 


254 THE harness makers' illustrated manual. 

into use on coach harness, and it is likely, for a 
time at least, to assume the position held by gold 
for some years past. The advantages of brass are 
that it can be cast to any form, retains its mallea¬ 
bility, is quite dense, and readily receives a bril¬ 
liant polish; but its proneness to tarnish is an ob¬ 
jection which tends to overcome its good quali¬ 
ties. The color is regulated by the proportions 
of the metals forming the compound, and skill in 
the moulder in turning it off just when it has been 
raised to the proper heat. 

Oroide, like brass, is a yellow metal, and when 
first introduced was recommended as a substi¬ 
tute for gold; when polished it has a golden 
color, but it tarnishes too easily to be used with¬ 
out being plated. It, however, furnishes an ex¬ 
cellent base for gilding, and for that reason is 
largely used. It can be cast as easily as brass, 
and is equally malleable ; it can also be used for 
plating iron articles which are.to be gilded, but 
if not plated or gilded it possesses but few advan¬ 
tages over ordinary brass. 

. Aluminum, or, as it is also called, alumina 
bronze, is the finest yellow metal produced ; its 
color closely resembles that of gold, while it is 
susceptible of as high a polish as the latter ; it is 
tough, though next to gold in lightness, but its 
high price prevents its being used for any but 
the most expensive mountings. 

German silver is used to a considerable extent 
for mountings which are to be plated with silver. 
For this purpose it is the best white metal 


HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 


2 55 


known ; other kinds have been introduced, but 
they have not proven suitable for mountings. 
The objection to all composition castings is 
their lack of rigidity, and they should never be 
used for check rein hooks of any kind ; these 
should be of iron, and plated to correspond with 
the terrets, etc. 

Composition possesses one great advantage 
over iron which should be understood by har¬ 
ness makers and consumers. It does not rust, 
and can therefore be used in localities where iron 
can not, owing to the proneness of the latter to 
rust—particularly on the sea coast, where the sea 
air acts very injuriously on plated mountings. 

Covered mountings consist of two kinds, those 
in which the metal is covered with leather, and, 
secondly, those having a metal core covered with 
a plastic composition. Leather covered is one 
of the oldest styles of mounting in use, but it was 
many years before it reached the state of perfec¬ 
tion so noticeable at the present time. The du¬ 
rability, as well as the appearance of these mount¬ 
ings, depends upon the character of the leather 
used and the manner of putting it on. Calfskin, 
or very fine grained kip, are the only kinds of 
leather suited to covering mountings, but many 
of the cheaper grades are covered with sheep¬ 
skin or thin split leather. Those conversant 
with working leather can readily understand the 
advantage arising from the use of thin, light 
stock, the work of putting on being reduced at 
least one half thereby. The inferior character of 


256 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

the work shows itself in a short time in the 
seams ripping or the leather cracking. Thick, firm 
leather requires more care in putting on and 
stitching, but it finishes much finer, and is more 
durable than the cheaper work. 

The manner of covering is very simple : the 
leather is first cut to the required shape ; it is then 
soaked in water until it is soft and pliable, after 
which paste is applied, and the leather is worked 
around the metal by means of slicking sticks, and 
the edges joined by means of pinchers, or by plac¬ 
ing the article in dies and pressing them together 
and allowing them to remain on until the leather 
is dry, after which the seam is stitched by hand 
or machine, the welt trued off, and the leather 
blacked and finished. 

The liability of the seam ripping has caused 
manufacturers to resort to different methods of 
putting on the leather and securing it; one 
method is the use of two seams on the edges in 
place of the one center seam so long in use ; the 
advantage claimed for this method is the protec¬ 
tion given to one side of the seam by the metal 
lining, and at the same time the article produced 
is more ornamental. 

Another plan is to dispense with the seam 
entirely on the outside ; this is done by joining 
the edges of the leather on the inside of the ring, 
these being protected by the lining; imitations of 
the double and single seams are produced by 
casting them on the iron and working the leather 
down smooth to the outlines of the metal. The 


HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 


257 


most recent improvement in making leather 
covered mountings is to draw the leather over 
the metal ring, which has previously been chan¬ 
neled, to allow for the full thickness of the leather, 
the rim on the edge forming a perfect protection 
to the leather ; this style is known as the “ Centen¬ 
nial,” an illustration of which will be found on 
page 263. Small leather covered harness buckles 
are more generally used than any others, the 
greater portion of these being imported from 
England, where they are produced at much lower 
prices than in America. 

The composition covered mountings are hard 
rubber and celluloid. The first was patented in 
1866, by Ralph Dunham, of Connecticut, as a 
covering for harness buckles and rings; in 1867 
Andrew Albright, of Newark, N. J., obtained 
a patent for covering harness and carriage 
mountings with rubber, these two patents be¬ 
ing the first taken out—though early in the history 
of hard rubber, experiments were made in cov¬ 
ering harness mountings, but the idea was aban¬ 
doned ; but since the two patents above mention¬ 
ed were taken out great improvements have 
been made, and rubber mountings are an 
acknowledged success. 

The manufacture of these mountings, though 
not directly connected with the manufacture of 
harness, is interesting, and a description of the 
process will serve to give the reader a general 
idea of their peculiarities and merits. Every 
article is made with a metal core of about the 


258 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

same weight as that used for leather covered 
work. This core, or casting, is first cleaned up 
and made perfectly true by being struck up in a 
die; if any portion is to be plated, this is done, 
and the article is then taken to the rubber room 
to be covered. The rubber used is of the best 
Para gum, mixed in the proportion of two parts 
of gum to one part of pulverized sulphur; it is 
furnished in long sheets, varying from one to 
four lines French measure in thickness, and is 
kept rolled up in enameled cloth. Sheets of the 
rubber are laid out on a table and cut to such 
shapes as are needed for each article to be cov¬ 
ered. The various pieces are then laid out on a 
. piece of enameled cloth and saturated with ben¬ 
zine, covered up, and allowed to remain in this 
condition overnight, by which time the rubber 
becomes sticky; it is then wrapped around the 
metal body, care being taken to exclude air and 
to firmly weld the edges ; after covering, the plat¬ 
ed parts, if there be any, are covered with tin foil, 
when they are ready to be vulcanized; to do this 
the goods are either placed in moulds, buried in 
soapstone, or hung in an open pan. The vulcan- 
ator is a large tube made of boiler iron, and 
sufficiently strong to sustain a very heavy pres¬ 
sure of steam. After the goods are in the vul- 
canator, the door is closed and packed tight and 
the steam let on; if the goods arc in pans and 
are to be cured by “ open steam,” they are sub¬ 
jected to a heat of 20 degrees for one hour ; 10 
additional degrees arc gradually added each hour, 


HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 


2 59 


until 65 degrees are reached (where the goods 
are in soapstone, the heat is raised to 65 degrees 
at the start). After having been subjected to this 
heat for the proper length of time, the goods are 
lemoved, and all small articles, such as buckles, 
rings, etc.,are thrown into a tumbling barrel and 
tumbled with charcoal and water until the rough 
edges are removed ; they are then placed into a 
steam box and heated ; each article is then placed 
into steel dies and pressed by powerful hydraulic 
presses ; this sets the rubber, forms a true finish, 
and sets a row of imitation stitches ; the smaller 
articles are again tumbled for a short time, when 
they are ready to be finished. Large articles have 
to be trued up by hand, then cleaned .on the ash 
wheel, from which they are taken to the buff 
wheels; the first is used with rotten stone, the 
second is dry ; having passed through these, the 
articles have a fine polish and a jet black color, 
ifter which they are lined and plated, and made 
-eady for the market. Up to the present time 
hese goods have never been made anywhere but 
n this country. They have a fine finish and are 
/ery durable, and will, without doubt, eventually 
jecome popular wherever harness is used. 

Celluloid mountings are of recent origin, and 
are made only in this country. The composition 
is a chemical compound which closely resembles 
amber ; it can be colored any desirable shade, and 
does not fade through use. These mountings, like 
those of rubber, have a metal core coated with 
the composition.. The process of manufacture is 


260 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 

interesting'. The castings are first trued up ; 
they are then taken to the stuffer to be coated ; 
they are then placed into moulds, or “ stuffing 
dies.” These are made of metal. The recess 
for the casting is provided with a number of 
small iron pins, upon which the castings rest. 
The arrangement of the moulds is precisely the 
same as that for casting metal. After the cast¬ 
ings are placed into position, the moulds are 
closed up and placed into a recess at the foot of 
the stuffing cylinder. The latter is nearly filled 
with celluloid, and heated up to 190 degrees. 
After the die is secured in its place, a plunger, 
which is worked by hydraulic pressure, descends 
upon the hot gum and forces it into the dies in 
sufficient quantities to completely fill the moulds 
and cover the metal cores. The die is then re¬ 
moved, and in a few minutes emptied of its con¬ 
tents, and again made ready for stuffing. After 
being stuffed, the goods are removed to a drying 
room heated by steam, and allowed to season. 
They are then taken to the hydraulic forming 
presses ; the mountings are put into highly 
polished steel dies, and submitted to a fifty-ton 
pressure, which renders the material compact and 
produces a finely finished surface, after which 
they are lined, plated, and finished up ready for 
delivery. 

Black is the predominating color, but a very 
handsome imitation of russet, as well as a good 
flesh color, has also been produced. As there is 
no difficulty in securing any color, the produc- 


HARNESS MOUNTINGS. 


26 


tion of other shades than those mentioned de¬ 
pends upon the demand. 

Celluloid martingale rings are a new article of 
manufacture. These closely resemble ivory in ap¬ 
pearance, are much stronger, and are sold at lower 
prices than the latter. .They are made of solid 
gum, which, after being colored, runs out into 
tubes of the required size. These are .cut up 
into rings and thoroughly seasoned, after which 
they are taken to automatic lathes and turned 
up. They are then polished, and packed ready 
for shipping. 

Tinned mountings, or, as they are known by 
the trade, “ XC plate,” are among the cheapest 
lines of goods. The metal castings are thorough¬ 
ly cleaned, and then dipped into molten tin. The 
quality of the deposit depends entirely upon the 
skill and care of the workman. 

Japanned mountings are those covered with 
a coat of black varnish which is solidified by 
heat. These are plain, and, if properly made, 
quite durable. They are, however, so well 
known that no extended description is necessary. 

The various illustrations of mountings in this 
chapter represent the popular styles now in the 
market, some of which are made by the general 
trade, while others are patented either as designs 
or as new articles of manufacture. The “ Grant,” 

“ Bismarck,” and “ Arlington ” are patented as de¬ 
signs ; the “ Double Seam,” as a design and a new 
article of manufacture. This was fully described 
in connection with other leather covered mount- 


262 THE HARNESS .MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

ings. The “ Imperial ” is patented as a design. 
This is made of composition metal, either white 
or yellow, and lined with hard rubber, the latter 
being turned up and finished oft' flush with the 
outside, leaving a narrow black edge with a me¬ 
tallic band center. This pattern is not lined, the 
wear coming direct upon the rubber, which, 
owing to its hardness, will wear longer than 
metal linings. One pattern of the ball wire 
mounting is also patented. The wire of this is 
covered with rubber and finished perfectly plain, 
while the ball and base arc plated. 

The “ Centennial ” isanother patented mounting. 
This is made of metal cast with a recess upon the 
outside of the band, into which leather is worked 
while wet; the ends, firmly secured at the post, 
are an imitation seam pricked in on both edges. 
The appearance of this is exactly the reverse of 
the “ Imperial.” The centre is black, and the lin- 
ag, edges, and head are of metal. 

The illustrations of post, pad, and bolt hooks 
and head terrets give a general idea of these arti¬ 
cles, though not representing all the styles. All 
the popular patterns of terrets have hooks and 
fly terrets to match ; and in ordering, the harness 
maker or dealer can always procure them in sets 
or by the package. 


TERRETS. 


263 



Ball Wire. 


Plain Wire. 



















264 the harness makers illustrated manual 



Oval 


'Band 


























HEAD TERRETS 


265 


Band. 


Arlington. 




Oval 


Ball Wire 



















































































































































266 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 



Wire Ball 


A corn. 






































FLY IIOOKS. 


267 



Wire Ball. 


Plain Wire. 










268 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL, 






















FLY BOLT HOOKS, 


269 



Oval Fly Bolt Hook. 


Band Post Hook. 



Wire. 


Oval Pad Hook 















270 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 



Band. 


Oval Wire. 




Oval 


Plain Duck Bill 








CHAPTER XXI. 


BUCKLES. 



HE great variety of harness buckles in the 


-1 market enables the harness manufacturer 
to procure those suited to every pattern of mount¬ 
ing. The illustrations in this chapter represent 
patterns suited to general use. In addition to 
these, buckles are made to match every style of 
mounting. An extended description is not neces¬ 
sary. The “ Sensible” is one of the best in the 
market, owing to the form of the under side. It 
does not bend the strap as much as other patterns; 
it can be used with oval, “ Grant,” and band mount¬ 
ings. The “Victoria” and “Vermont” match 
well with the same patterns of mountings. The 
band, “Bonner,” and “Square Philadelphia” 
are used with flat band patterns, the “ West End ” 
and other wire buckles with wire and oval ter- 
rcts. Trace and collar buckles are made in as 
great variety as the smaller harness, the patterns 
being similar, but the center bar is used but little 
except as a trace buckle. 

A buckle peculiar to this country—one in which 
the trace lies perfectly flat and is easily adjusted 
—is known as the “ wedge tongue.” This was the 
invention of Mr. Coles. Improvements were 
made by various persons, until at the present 


272 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

time there are several varieties operating much 
the same as, and bearing a close resemblance to, 
the original. The “ Coles,” Fig. 1, represents the 
original after having been so modified as to make 
it practical. The “ Coles,” Fig. 2, represents 
the latest improvement in the way of a spring, 
which prevents the wedge getting out of place 
when the trace is not drawn up tight. The 
peculiarity of this buckle is in the wedge. 
This is provided with a tongue or spur on the 
under side, which sets into a hole in the trace and 
takes the place of the ordinary tongue ; when the 
trace is drawn up, the wedge bears against the 
cross bar and holds the spur in position, and at 
the same time produces a pressure which relieves 
the strap at the hole of much of the strain which 
would otherwise be put upon it. 

Fig. 3 shows the “ Kinne.” This, when in po¬ 
sition, bears a close resemblance to the “ Cole,” 
but it operates somewhat differently. The cross 
bar is loose and the bearings upon the pier plate 
press against it, producing the same result as the 
wedge. 

Fig. 4 represents the “ Kinne” without loops. 
This is used on single harness. These buckles 
are very strong, and are made in all sizes from ij 
to 2 inches 


PATENT TRACE BUCKLES, 


O *1 'J 


- / O 



Fig. 2. 




Fig. 3. 



Fig. 4. 




























































































































274 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual. 




Sensible. 


Vermont. 



Philadelphia, 


U nion 










































































HARNESS BUCKLES. 


275 




West End 


Crown 








































2 7 6 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 




Wire. 


dloiseshoe. 




Square Roller. 


Barrel Roller. 



Covered Ring. 


Wire Bridle. 


Covered Bridle. 


































TRACE BUCKLES, 


277 



Light Band. Covered Roller. 



Band, 


Covered 


































2yS THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL 



Imperial. 



Wire. 



Ba ad. 



Boston. 



Arlington 

































































COLLAR BUCKLES. 


79 



Boston. Oval. 



































































280 the harness-makers’ illustrated manual. 



Perforated Loop. 


Sensible. 




































CHAPTER XXII. 


BITS AND BITTING HARNESS. 

BRIDLE BITS. 

HE ingenuity of bit makers of all countries 



1 has been taxed to the utmost to produce 
bits suited to all horses, and many are the harsh 
and brutal devices introduced; but with the ex¬ 
ception of the Mexican or Texan bit, very few of 
the harsh kinds are now in use. For this reason 
no attention will be paid to any but those suited 
to the general trade. The illustrations show a 
good variety, but they all come under the gene¬ 
ral classification of snaffle, ring, bradoon, or 
lever. 

The snaffle is frequently defined as a bit having 
a jointed mouth ; this is incorrect, as the cheek 
piece alone decides the name, the mouth pieces 
being designated as stiff, jointed, post, chain, 
leather, hinge, etc. .Figs, i and 2 illustrate two 
styles of snaffle. The first is the regular pattern ; 
the second, the “ Dexter both are made up with 
stiff as well as jointed mouths. The origin of 
the name is unknown ; but when a bit maker re¬ 
ceives an order for a “ snaffle bit,” he furnishes 
one with cheek pieces like that in Fig. 1, the ring 
and bars of which are of one piece ; if a “ Dexter 
snaffle is ordered, it is like Fig. 2, the peculiarity 


282 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

of which is the shape of the mouth piece, it be¬ 
ing large at the cheek and small at the joint. 

A ring bit is one having rings instead of rings 
and cheek pieces combined. The portion, how¬ 
ever, which is surrounded by the head on 
the mouth piece is turned so as to give 
a straight bearing and provide two shoulders, 
which prevents the ring slipping through the 
hole in the heads of the mouth piece. The bra- 
doon bit has a ring cheek, but the wire is of uni¬ 
form thickness, and the ring is loose in the ends 
of the mouth piece. Lever, or gag, bits (as they 
are generally called) are made up in a variety of 
ornamental patterns, with stiff or loose cheeks. 
The “ Hanoverian,” Fig. 3, is used more than anv 
other pattern. For coach or coupe harness the 
“ Buxton” is the most popular. This has a scroll 
cheek and a loose mouth, which slides up and 
down on a straight section of the cheek. 

Trotting snaffles are made in a variety of pat¬ 
terns, and as a rule with half cheeks. The “ Dan 
Mace” is one of this class ; the small loop on the 
cheek piece is used to secure a cross strap, thus 
connecting the two cheeks in such a manner that 
they act together when either rein is pulled. 
The “ Ben Lane,” 41 Dexter,” and other half 
cheek bits are also provided with the loop. The 
various other patterns shown need no explana¬ 
tion. 

Bits are made of wrought iron throughout, 
wrought mouth and malleable cheeks, or all mal¬ 
leable. The first are sometimes designated as 


BITS AND BITTING HARNESS. 283 

steel bits ; but this is a mere pretence, as steel is 
seldom used in their manufacture, fine iron being 
preferable. The wrought bit is the most expen¬ 
sive, but it is the only reliable kind, and no horse 
possessing any spirit should be driven with any 
other. Next to this is the wrought mouth and 
malleable cheek ; and lastly, the all malleable, a 
bit which should never be used. Some are suffi¬ 
ciently strong, but the unreliability of malleable 
iron should condemn it for bits of any kind. 

A very convenient manner of numbering has 
been adopted by some bit manufacturers, by 
which a buyer can tell at a glance just what the 
article is. If a buyer orders a No. 1336, he 
would be furnished with a first quality ring bit 
with a t 6 t inch mouth piece, having two i|- 
inch rings. Should the number be 1356, he 
would secure the same kind of bit with three inch 
rings ; for a loose ring bit the first and last num¬ 
bers would be the same, with 24 as the pattern 
number. Snaffles are designated by 52, and half 
cheek of the regular pattern by 53, and “ Han¬ 
overians” by 76. A first quality loose ring bit 
would be designated by No. 1246, a snaffle by 
1526, a half cheek snaffle by 1536, and a “ Han¬ 
overian” by 1766, the first and last numbers be¬ 
ing changed to designate quality and size. When 
used first, the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., represent 
the quality ; the final numbers, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 
give the size of the mouth pieces in sixteenths of 
an inch ; the addition of the fraction designates 
a jointed mouth. 


28 4 THE HARNESS-MAKERS ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 



Hanoverian. 


Fig. i. 
Snaffle. 


a 



Fig. 6. 
Ben Lane. 


Fig. 2 . 

Dexter. 























BRIDLE BITS. 


^5 



Half Check Dexter. 



Fig. 5 . 
Dan Mace 



Ring. 



Check Bradoor. 








286 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

Bits are finished in a variety of styles, as fol¬ 
lows: “Polished,” those which are not plated, 
but are burnished up in the best manner; 
“ nickel,” those plated with nickel; “ all over 
silver plated,” those in which the cheeks and 
ends of the mouth piece are plated ; “ half sil¬ 
ver plated,” those having only the cheek pieces 
plated; “outside silver plated,” those in which 
the outsides of the cheek pieces are plated. 
Plating with other metals is designated in a 
similar manner. 


BITTING HARNESS. 

The two illustrations of bitting harness in this 
chapter represent the most complicated, though 
undoubtedly the best for this purpose, which are 
free to manufacturers in this country. There 
are several patented devices, but a description or 
illustration would be of no general value. Fig. 
i represents the plain wooden jockey, the saddle 
to which is made of iron padded with felt and 
covered with collar leather ; the ends of the reins 
are of elastic web. The manner of attaching, 
style of halter, crupper strap, etc., are all well 
delineated and require no explanation. Fig. 2 
represents an improved jockey of English manu¬ 
facture ; the arms of this are of gutta percha and 
whalebone instead of wood ; the various straps 
are all provided with elastic ends, which, it is 
claimed, produces the desired result in a more 
humane manner than when the old style, as 
shown by Fig. 1, is used. 


BITTING HARNESS. 











V 

















288 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

Another style, bearing a close resemblance to 
Fig. i, has steel springs attached to the back of 
the arms at the lower ends, to which the reins are 
attached ; the wooden arms are provided with 
slots for the reins to pass through before being 
secured to the steel springs. The plain bitting 
harness, in which the cheeks, etc., are attached to 
a broad surcingle, needs no description. 


289 


BITTING HARNESS. 














CHAPTER XXIII. 


REPAIRING HARNESS. 

T O repair harness well is quite as much of an 
art as to make up new stock, and, owing to 
the gradual spread of the custom of sending the 
harness to the shop instead of leaving the matter 
to stablemen when repairs are needed, the proper 
performance of the work is, in a business point of 
view, an absolute necessity. Repairing is some¬ 
thing more than securing a ripped stitch, restor¬ 
ing a buckle, or splicing a strap; these the mer¬ 
est novice in the business can accomplish; but 
to repair properly requires skill, judgment, and 
experience. This is particularly the case at the 
present time, when new methods and directions 
are found in every agricultural journal, and not 
unfrequently in those devoted to mechanics, and 
which, from, the nature of the articles recom¬ 
mended, as well as from the crudeness of the in¬ 
structions, are calculated to mislead. 

In repairing, two results are to be sought—one 
is the complete restoration of strength and form; 
the other, renovation and softening of the leather, 
so that in appearance and pliability it will be as 
nearly as possible what it was when first made. To 


REPAIRING HARNESS. 


2 9 


do this, unbuckle and separate all patent and 
tancy colored from the plain leather wherever it 
can be done without ripping; also from pads, 
gig saddles, and such other parts as are lined 
with cloth or are stuffed ; then clean the straps. 
These, if gummed, should be scraped with a 
smooth edged scraper, and then washed with tepid 
water and crown soap; if the latter can not be 
had, use castile soap in its place (strong soap 
should never be used, as the alkalies penetrate 
the leather and harden it). Turpentine, benzine, 
etc., are often recommended for removing the 
surface grease and accumulated dirt; but nothing 
will more effectually destroy harness leather 
than these articles: they penetrate aimost in- 
stantly, and burn and harden the fibre, and if 
used to any extent, the injury can not be cor¬ 
rected. Tepid water, soap, a scraper, and a 
little labor will prove equally efficacious in re¬ 
moving all superfluous substances, without leav¬ 
ing injurious effects. 

After thoroughly cleaning the leather, make 
all needed repairs, black up, and, with the excep¬ 
tion of polishing, treat the leather the same as 
though the harness were new; then with a stiff 
brush clean out whatever dirt may be in and 
around the stitches, loops, buckles, etc., treating 
both sides of the strap in the same manner. 
This brushing is often omitted, but it is almost 
as important as the cleaning of the surface of the 
leather, as the fine dirt is thus removed, and it 
does not interfere in any way with the penetra- 


2Q2 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

tion of the oil or grease into the pores of the 
leather or around the stitches. 

The harness now being cleaned and repaired, 
it is ready for oiling or greasing. There are 
two ways of doing this : the first, which is appli¬ 
cable to leather which has become hard, lost its 
color, and needs thorough renovation, is to apply 
a little vinegar black wherever the leather ap¬ 
pears red; then dampen each strap with a small 
quantity of tepid water, applying it with a 
sponge, and, as soon as the surface of the leather 
is dry, give it a coat of pure neat’s-foot oil ^the 
purer the oil the better); the oil penetrates the 
leather, the water having opened the pores, and 
it is quickly absorbed. Some authorities recom¬ 
mend castor oil in place of the neat’s-foot, but the 
latter is undoubtedly the best, as it restores to 
the leather some of its natural properties, and 
therefore better assimilates with the fibre. Cas¬ 
tor oil, however, is an excellent article, and is only 
inferior to neat’s-foot or pure cod. It penetrates 
rapidly, softens well, and at the same time retains 
a firm hold ; it will also last as long as neat’s-foot 
oil, and is free from gum, but, owing to its heavy 
body, it fills up the pores and thus prevents the 
subsequent absorption of tallow. The animal oil, 
on the other hand, opens the pores, softens the 
fibre, and fits it to take* up a much greater quan¬ 
tity of tallow, which is, after all, the only real 
protection against the action of water. The tal¬ 
low should be warmed sufficiently to allow of its 
being spread on with a brush, but it must not be 


REPAIRING HARNESS. 


2 9 3 


hot. Apply it as soon as the oil has dried in, 
and brush well in order to assist it to enter the 
pores. Lay all the straps out straight, and, after 
coating them with tallow, allow them to remain 
in that condition for several hours ; then rub them 
with a woolen cloth until all surplus grease is re¬ 
moved from the surface, after which varnish 
black may be applied if desired ; but the latter is 
not absolutely necessary, excepting when the 
leather is much worn and the color injured. 

The second manner of applying grease is to 
slightly dampen the leather after it has been 
thoroughly cleaned, and as soon as the surface 
moisture is removed, apply a coat of warm tal¬ 
low, and allow the straps to remain coated with 
it until the moisture has died out, afterward 
cleaning the tallow off as in the first case. This 
answers very well for harness when the leather 
has not become hard but looks dry on the sur¬ 
face. In the absence of grease, leather absorbs 
water very rapidly, and unless the pores be well 
filled with the former, the latter will soon obtain 
the mastery and convert the leather from a soft, 
pliant, tough material to a hard, bony, and brittle 
one. 

Tallow of itself will resist the action of water 
much longer than neat’s-foot oil, but it does not 
impart the same softness to the fibre as does the 
latter, while the oil, though it softens the leather, 
fails to form much of a barrier again&t the en¬ 
trance of water. Both articles are therefore 
necessary in order to secure pliability and dura- 


294 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual. 

bility. Other greases may be used, but in none 
are the original qualities of the leather contained 
to the same extent as in those recommended. 

When the leather presents a rusty appearance, 
but is not red, it should be blacked with hatters’ 
black, or a more simple black made of 2 ounces 
of the extract of logwood and j- ounce of bichro¬ 
mate of potash pounded fine and dissolved in 4 
quarts of boiling rain or river water. This can 
be bottled and kept on hand. It should be ap¬ 
plied with a brush. 

Harness when in use becomes soiled either by 
the action of the atmosphere on the grease—the 
latter being drawn to the surface, where it be¬ 
comes impregnated with dust, and forms a dirty 
coating—or by the impurities in the oil used in 
currying the leather. In the latter case, in addi¬ 
tion to the dirty grease, spots of gum of various 
sizes form on the surface. These can only be re¬ 
moved by scraping, or by the use of an ammo- 
niated soap, made of oleic acid heated to a tem¬ 
perature of ioo°, into which ammonia (of 0.96 
specific gravity) is stirred until the smell of the 
latter ceases to disappear by action of the acid. 

Patent leather can only be restored to its origi¬ 
nal polish by the use of varnish, but it may be 
greatly improved by applying castor oil, and, 
after it has been upon the leather an hour or 
more, removing the surplus grease with a woolen 
cloth, and rubbing with a dry silk or woolen rag 
until the polish is brought out. In every case 
remove all the mountings possible without 


REPAIRING HARNESS. 


2 95 


ripping- the straps, and clean them before re¬ 
placing. 

It requires some labor to thus clean, repair, 
and oil a harness, but these directions, if well 
followed, will secure a first class job, and if the 
leather has not become bony and harsh from 
constant exposure, it will be to all appearances 
as good as new. 

For repairing or new work there is no black¬ 
ing in the market that answers the purpose bet¬ 
ter than that of Frank Miller & Co. It possesses 
the necessary elements for softening and giving 
a fine finish to the leather, and increasing its 
durability. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


CARE OF HARNESS IN FACTORY AND STABLE. 
HE appearance and durability of harness to 



X a great extent depends upon the treatment 
received after leaving the hands of the workman ; 
yet a large percentage of manufacturers, as well 
as consumers, are very careless and negligent in 
protecting their goods from injury by the ele¬ 
ments. Consumers, as a rule, are entirely unac¬ 
quainted with the peculiarities of the stock used, 
and they can not, therefore, be expected to know 
how to guard it against various destructive influ¬ 
ences, but the harness maker can not plead igno¬ 
rance. Leather as received from the tanner 
does not possess the requisite qualifications for 
harness. These the currier supplies by the addi¬ 
tion of oil and grease, together with the labor 
needed in preparing it, without which it would 
lack the suppleness and durability so necessary in 
this kind of stock. The preservation of the ma¬ 
terials added by the currier, therefore, becomes an 
absolute necessity in order to prevent premature 


decay. 


Moisture is the great destroyer ; it absorbs the 
grease, hardens the fibre, and renders the 
leather weak and brittle; it also causes the metal 


CARE OF HARNESS IN FACTORY AND STABLE. 297 

m the mountings to rust, weakening them, and 
adds another enemy to the leather. Grease only 
will resist the effects of moisture, and every effort 
should be made to keep the leather well supplied 
with this needed protector. 

Manufacturers often overlook the importance 
of caring for the harness in stock, and also of in¬ 
structing their customers how to preserve it when 
in use. With some the idea is maintained, that 
ignorance on the part of the consumer, as re¬ 
gards the care of harness, accrues to the benefit 
of the manufacturer. This is a serious mistake. 
1 he most successful man is he who produces the 
most durable article, and it should be part of a 
manufacturer’s duty to instruct the buyer how to 
treat the article purchased. But all manufactur¬ 
ers do not understand this secret of their business, 
and a portion of this chapter therefore will be 
devoted to the care of stock in the warerooms. 

A certain amount of made up stock must be 
displayed, but there is no necessity for exposing 
more than one harness of a kind. Three months’ 
exposure in a wareroom will injure a harness as 
much as three months of constant use, providing 
the user knows how to take care of it. In all in¬ 
stances leather strapping, if exposed at all, should 
be in glass cases impervious to dust and air; but 
no showcase can be made tight enough to fully 
exclude these elements. 

During a great part of the year the air at night 
is laden with moisture, and, not unfrequently, 
during the spring and fall months the atmos- 


298 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

phere is humid and heavy ; the moist air per¬ 
meates every thing, and by its action upon the 
leather and mountings rapidly absorbs the life 
of the former and rusts or tarnishes the latter. 
The white mould which is often observed upon 
the leather is caused by the grease being drawn 
to the surface by moisture. After the surface is 
covered with this mould, the absorption of the 
grease continues in all kinds of weather until the 
cause is removed. The manufacturer therefore 
should remove it as quickly as possible by brush¬ 
ing it, and afterwards rubbing with a dry cloth, 
and finally with a greasy rag or “ shammythen 
restore the polish with an old silk handkerchief. 
If the mountings are tarnished, clean them with a 
“ shammy ; ” if this can not be done, remove them 
clean with a little rotten stone. Gilt mountings 
should not be exposed. Sample sets are conve¬ 
nient; but when these can not be had, the gilt 
should be protected by wrapping it in tissue 
paper. 

In hanging up the various parts of the harness, 
use forms, instead of pegs or hooks, except for 
traces or reins, which should always be hung out 
straight. Harness made up for stock should not 
be “ gummed ” and hung in cases, but, after being 
finished by the workman, all the plain leather 
should be covered with a thin coat of “ daub ” 
made of one part of neat’s-foot oil and two parts 
of tallow—the latter being thoroughly melted, 
after which the oil is poured in and the whole 
thoroughly stirred until cold ;—this will feed the 


CARE OF HARNESS IN FACTORY AND STABLE. 299 

leather and prevent injury. The patent and fancy 
leather should be wrapped on soft paper, and 
every piece, whether of patent or plain leather, 
laid out straight and smooth in shallow drawers 
and covered with thick paper. Russet strap¬ 
ping of all kinds should be kept in dark cases or 
drawers, as the sunlight is sure to affect the 
color, the most exposed parts showing the great¬ 
est change. 

Harness makers who have made the care of 
harness a study have no difficulty in filling orders 
at a short notice. Their course is to make up 
traces, reins, turnbacks, docks, back bands, and 
other straight strapping, and lay them away in 
grease as before directed. When a harness is 
ordered, all that is required is to make the 
other parts, finish up the necessary straight 
straps, attach the mountings, and put them to¬ 
gether. In this way they are enabled to keep 
their workmen employed at all times, and obviate 
the necessity of hiring extra hands in the busy 
season. If the manufacturer delivers the harness 
to his customer in good order, he does all he is 
legally bound to do; but his moral obligation ex¬ 
tends much farther—he should instruct the buyer 
how to preserve it. The following hints may 
serve to assist him in this direction : 

The harness room should always be as far from 
the horses as the size of the building will allow, 
as the gases arising from the stable are very inju¬ 
rious to the leather and mountings ; it should be 
provided with forms for the bridles, pads, sad- 


300 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

dies, breechings, etc., and hooks for reins, hames, 
and traces. If a separate room can not be had 
for this purpose, closets should be provided. 

Harness are often quite wet when taken from 
the horse. When this is caused by rain, hang them 
up in some place where they can dry, and before 
putting them in the storeroom rub them well 
with a “ shammy,” or wash-leather, then apply a lit¬ 
tle crown soap and rub with the hands until the 
polish is restored ; clean off the under side of the 
straps as carefully as the outside. If wet by sweat, 
dry as quickly as possible after taking them from 
the horse, as by the saline nature of the perspira¬ 
tion the grease is rapidly absorbed and the leather 
hardened ; if the pads are wet, dry them thor¬ 
oughly before putting them in the storeroom. 
For oiling, during the first year, at least, crown 
soap, applied as directed above, is all that is re¬ 
quisite for coach or carriage harness, but for 
team and other heavy harness a stronger grease 
is required. Cleaning and oiling should be done 
as often as once a month on harness which is in 
daily use. If the leather is soft, wash it with 
water applied with a “ shammy,” then wring the 
latter nearly dry, and rub the leather thoroughly, 
after which apply a good harness oil. When 
each strap has been treated in this way, com¬ 
mence with the one first washed, and remove all 
surplus grease with a rag, then rub with an old 
piece of silk until the polish is restored. If the 
leather is hard and dry, it will be necessary to 
wash the straps well and wet them enough to 


CARE OF HARNESS IN FACTORY AND STABLE. 301 

open the pores ; lay the straps out straight, and, 
when surface dry apply a coat of neat’s-foot oil. 
When this has penetrated the leather, apply warm 
tallow with a brush, and allow the straps to re¬ 
main coated with the tallow until the moisture 
has dried out of the leather, then with a rag re¬ 
move all the surplus tallow, and clean the stitch¬ 
ing with a stiff brush ; then apply a coat of har¬ 
ness black. 

Cleaning mountings requires care, as they do 
not need to be scoured. Gold should never be 
rubbed with any thing harsher than the nap side 
of canton flannel; electro silver plate should also 
be cleaned carefully, as the plate is soft and the 
thin coating can be easily removed. Close plate 
silver will bear more scouring, but it is seldom 
necessary to do more than to rub it with a 
“ shammy ” darkened with tripoli and lampblack. 
If they are very much tarnished, they should be 
removed from the harness and washed in water 
and rubbed with tripoli. Brass is the most diffi¬ 
cult metal to keep clean, but when rubbed each 
day the labor is material^ decreased. In the 
chapter of recipes there are several directions for 
cleaning and polishing brass, any of which can be 
used to good advantage. 


CHAPTER XXV. 


LEATHER BLACKING — STAINS — VARNISHES AND 
POLISHES. 


VINEGAR BLACK. 



OR giving color to the grain of leather there 


1- is no blacking that will at all compare with 
the well known vinegar black. This may be made 
in various ways. The simplest, and, without doubt, 
the best, is to procure shavings from an iron turner 
and cover them with pure cider vinegar; heat up 
and set aside for a week or two, then heat again 
and set in a cool place for two weeks ; pour off 
the vinegar, allow it to stand for a few days, and 
draw off and cork up in bottles. This will keep 
for a long time, and, while producing a deep 
black on leather, will not stain the hands. 

Another method is to cover iron scraps with 
sour beer, and allow them to stand for a month 
or more ; then strain off the beer and bottle as 
before. A third method is to boil sulphate of 
iron in vinegar; mix some brewers’ yeast with 
beer and allow it to stand for twenty-four hours, 
then skim off the yeast and add the vinegar. 


LOGWOOD BLACK, 


Boil i pound ot ground logwood, ^ pound of 
nut galls, and i ounce of verdigris in i gallon of 


LEATHER BLACKING. 


303 


water for two hours, then remove from the fire and 
allow it to stand until it is cold; strain off the 
liquor, and it will be ready for use. 

If to 1 pint of this mixture be added £ pound 
of white wax, pound of brown sugar, and J 
pound of bone black rubbed smooth in turpen¬ 
tine, and the whole heated until thoroughly 
amalgamated, an excellent wax for finishing 
edges will be produced. 

Another logwood black is made by boiling a 
quantity of logwood bark in double its bulk of 
rain water for two or three hours, then straining 
off and adding J of a pound of potash to 2 gallons 
of the liquor. This makes a good grain as well 
as edge black. 

hatters' black. 

This black is unequaled for finishing. It is 
made by dissolving 1 pound of extract of log¬ 
wood, J ounce of bichromate of potash, and 1 
ounce of copperas in 1 gallon of water. 

Another formula, differing from the first in the 
quantities, is to dissolve 1 pound of extract of 
logwood, 2 ounces of copperas, and i-J- ounces of 
bichromate of potash in i|- gallons of water. 

BALL BLACK. 

Melt together 8 ounces of beef suet, 2 ounces 
of neat’s-foot oil, 2 ounces of white wax, and 2 
ounces of pulverized gum arabic ; add 1 gill of 
turpentine, and a sufficient quantity of bone black 
to give the whole a good color; stir until thor- 


304 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 

oughly mixed, remove from the fire, continue to 
stir until cold, then roll into balls. To apply, 
warm the ball, rub it on the leather, and polish 
with a woolen cloth. 

English ball blacking for harness is composed 
of i ounce of lard, i ounce of beeswax, 8 ounces 
of ivory black, 8 ounces of sugar, 4 ounces of lin¬ 
seed oil, and 2 or 3 ounces of water. 

Another kind is made of 2 ounces of hog’s lard, 
8 ounces of best neat’s-foot oil, 2 ounces of bees¬ 
wax, 10 ounces of ivory black, and 8 ounces of 
water. Heat the whole to a boil, remove from 
the fire, stir until sufficiently cool, and form into 
balls about two inches in diameter. 

A third description is made of 2 ounces each 
of ivory black, copperas, and neat’s-foot oil, 4 
ounces of brown sugar, 4 ounces of soft water, and 

1 ounce of gum tragacanth ; boil until the water 
has evaporated, stir until cold, then roll into balls 
or mould into cakes. 

A fourth is made of £ pound of beeswax, 4 
ounces of ivory black, 2 ounces of Prussian blue, 

2 ounces of spirits of turpentine, and 1 ounce of 
copal varnish ; melt the wax, stir in the other in¬ 
gredients, and, when cool, roll into balls. 

Still another famous harness and saddlery 
blacking is made of J of an ounce of isinglass, 
i of an ounce of indigo, 4 ounces of logwood, 2 
ounces of softsoap, 4 ounces of glue, and 1 pint 
of vinegar ; the whole is warmed, mixed, strained, 
allowed to cool, and is then ready for use. 


LEATHER BLACKING. 


3°5 


LIQUID BLACK. 

Mix a quantity of bone black with equal parts 
of neat’s-foot oil and brown sugar, in proportions 
to produce a thick paste ; thin with vinegar and 
sulphuric acid in proportions of three parts of the 
former to one of the latter. 

A second liquid black is made by mixing 3 
ounces of ivory black with 1 tablespoonful of 
lemon acid, 2 ounces of brown sugar, and a small 
quantity of vinegar, afterward adding 1 ounce 
each of sulphuric and muriatic acid; mix the 
whole together, and add a sufficient quantity of 
vinegar to make 1 pint in all. 

liebig’s black. 

Mix bone black in half its weight of molasses 
and one eighth its weight of olive oil, to which 
add half its weight of hydrochloric acid and one 
fourth its weight of strong sulphuric acid, with a 
sufficient quantity of water to produce a thin 
paste. 

PATENT HARNESS BLACK. 

Heat together, over a slow fire, 2 ounces of 
white wax and 3 ounces of turpentine ; when the 
wax is dissolved add 1 ounce of ivory black 
and 1 dram of indigo, thoroughly pulverized and 
mixed ; stir the mixture until cold. Apply with 
a cloth, and polish with a shoe brush. 

WATERPROOF PASTE BLACKING. 

Melt together 4 ounces of black resin and 6 


306 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 

ounces of beeswax over a slow fire; when thor¬ 
oughly dissolved, add i ounce of lampblack and 
J pound of finely powdered Prussian blue : stir 
the mixture well, and add sufficient turpentine to 
make a thin paste. Apply with a cloth, and pol¬ 
ish with a brush. 

CROWN SOAP BLACK. 

Dissolve, over a slow fire, i pound of beeswax, 
i pound of crown soap, 3 ounces of indigo, 4 
ounces of ivory black, and % pint of oil of turpen¬ 
tine ; as soon as dissolved remove from the fire, 
and stir until cold. 

FINISHING BLACK. 

Mix together i ounce each of gelatin and indi¬ 
go, 8 ounces of extract of logwood, 2 ounces of 
crown soap, 8 ounces of softened glue, and 1 
quart of vinegar; heat the whole over a slow 
fire, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Apply with 
a soft brush, and polish with a woolen cloth. 

CORDOVA WAX. 

Mix together i-J- pints of red acid (chromic), 1 
pint of beer, 1 gill of thick glue, 2 ounces of ivory 
black, and 1 dram of indigo ; boil for half an hour, 
and apply with a sponge. 

GERMAN BLACKING. 

Soften 2 pounds of good glue, and melt it in an 
ordinary glue kettle; then dissolve 2 pounds of 
castile soap in warm water and pour it into the 


LEATHER BLACKING. 


307 


glue ; stir until well mixed, and add i pound of 
yellow wax cut into small pieces ; stir well until 
the wax is melted, then add £ pint of neat’s-foot 
oil and enough lampblack to give the desired 
color. When thoroughly mixed, it is ready for 
use. 

ANILIN BLACK. 

Mix i dram of fine anilin black with 60 drops 
of concentrated hydrochloric acid and i| ounces 
of alcohol. This produces a deep blue liquid, 
which, when diluted with i|- ounces of shellac 
dissolved in alcohol, will produce a beautiful 
black. 


BLACKING FOR RESTORING HARNESS. 

Mix i ounce of indigo, 1 pound of extract of 
logwood, 1 ounce of softened glue, and 8 ounces 
of crown soap (common softsoap can. be used if 
the other kind can not be had) in 2 quarts of 
vinegar; place the mass over a slow fire, and stir 
until thoroughly mixed. Apply with a soft 
brush, and use a harder one for polishing. 

BLACKING FOR PATENT OR ENAMELED LEATHER. 

Mix together pound each of ivory black, 
purified lampblack, and pulverized indigo, 3 
ounces of dissolved gum arabic, 4 ounces of brown 
sugar, and ounce of glue dissolved in 1 pint of 
water; heat the whole to a boil over a slow fire, 
Ihen remove and stir until cool, and roll into balls. 


308 the harness makers’ illustrated manual. 


BLACKING FOR RESTORING LEATHER COVERED 
MOUNTINGS. 

Melt 3 parts of white wax, then add i part gum 
copal, dissolved in linseed oil, and i part of ivory 
black; allow the mass to boil for five minutes, re¬ 
move it from the fire and stir until cool, then roll 
it up into balls. 

BLACKING FOR THE FLESH SIDE. 

Mix together i pound of prime lampblack and 
12 pounds of pure neat’s-foot oil; melt 6 pounds 
of good tallow, and add it while hot to the lamp¬ 
black and oil. Mix it well, and when cold it will 
be fit for use. 

ANOTHER. 

To ij pounds of lampblack add i gallon of 
pure neat’s-foot oil and i quart of vinegar black ; 
allow it to stand 24 hours, and it will be ready 
for use. 


STAINS. 

The use of russet and brown leather for reins, 
etc., necessitates the employment of stains of va¬ 
rious shades in the workshop, in order that the 
reins or other straps may be of a uniform color 
after being worked. In most cases rein leather is 
stained by the currier, but when worked, the 
freshly cut edges, etc., need to be stained to cor¬ 
respond with the grain. The stains used are 
generally made of Spanish saffron and anotta, 



STAINS. 


3° 9 


01 of saffron alone, made up in various ways, the 
most common and reliable being the following: 

Boil a given amount of saffron in water until 
the color is extracted; cut a quantity of anotta 
in urine and mix the two together, the propor¬ 
tions of each determining the shade; the more 
anotta used the darker is the color. 

Another manner of preparing this stain is to 
boil ounce of Spanish saffron and £ ounce of 
anotta in water until the dye is extracted, to 
which must be added some alcohol to set the 
color. 

To make a stain of saffron alone, boil a quantity 
in water until the dye is extracted ; strain off, and, 
when cold, add alcohol in order to set the color. 
The shade may be changed by adding oxalic acid 
in varying quantities according to the color re¬ 
quired. The proportions can not be given with 
any degree of accuracy, as the color is a matter 
of taste, and can be regulated by using greater 
or less proportions of each article. 

Another saffron stain is made by boiling saffron 
in a small quantity of water until the color is ex¬ 
tracted, and reducing with urine. 

In using any of these stains, apply them with a 
cloth, and, when nearly dry, rub with a woolen 
rag slightly waxed. 

A yellow stain is produced by boiling fustic 
berries in alum water ; the shade may be darkened 
by the addition of a small quantity of powdered 
Brazilwood boiled with the berries. 

Another yellowish red stain is made of Brazil- 


310 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

wood and yellow berries in proportion to suit, 
boiling them in water until the coloring matter is 
extracted. This can be applied to sides that have 
not been stained, when intended for flat reins, 
halters, etc., in the following manner : 

Lay the leather upon a table, and rub the flesh 
side with a warm stretching iron; turn it over 
and moisten the grain side with water, and rub 
with a copper stretching iron until the leather is 
nearly dry ; then apply the coloring matter to the 
grain, and rub with a copper slicker. When the 
leather is perfectly dry, rub the grain with a glass 
slicker. An edge stain is made by adding a small 
quantity of alum to the above mentioned ingre¬ 
dients. 

A brown stain is made by boiling equal parts 
of pine and alder barks in six times their bulk of 
water until all the coloring matter is extracted, 
and when cold adding a small quantity of alcohol. 
Saflron boiled for twelve or fifteen hours gives a 
good brown stain, to which alcohol must be add¬ 
ed to make it set. 

Picric acid and water, in proportions of i to ia, 
heated to a blood heat, makes a good yellow stain. 
Wold boiled in water also makes a yellow stain. 

An orange yellow is produced by boiling fustic 
berries in alum water. This stain may be con¬ 
verted into a rich brown by washing the leather 
to which it has been applied, before the stain is 
fairly dry, with an alkali. 

A red stain is produced by boiling Brazilwood 
in lye. If mixed with wold, it produces a brown- 


VARNISHES. 


3ii 

ish yellow, well adapted for use on halters and 
bridles. 

An edge stain for russet leather is made by 
cutting 4 ounces of anotta in 2 quarts of 
urine, allowing it to stand for twenty-four hours, 
then adding 3 quarts of water and boiling until 
reduced to one half the original quantity. 

All stains appear to better advantage and are 
rendered more durable by being covered with a 
little shellac varnish, which should be applied 
after the reins are all dry, and then finished up as 
previously directed. The shellac should be 
applied with a sponge. 

A bright orange stain is made by mixing yel¬ 
low anilin with alum water. 

One ounce of oxalic acid, 1 ounce of spirits of 
salts, 1 scruple of bruised cochineal, and 1 pint of 
boiling water makes a good brown stain. 

Another red stain is made by dissolving 1 
ounce of cochineal in pint of hot water, and 
adding 1 gill of spirits of hartshorn. 

A bright crimson stain is alum or tin salts and 
a decoction of cochineal. 


VARNISHES. 

SHELLAC VARNISH. 

Dissolve 6 parts of shellac in alcohol using 
no more of the latter than is absolutely neces¬ 
sary to dissolve the gum, and mix it with 3 
parts of Venetian turpentine, heating the whole 



312 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

until the mixture is complete ; when cool, add 
J part of line bone black and J part of oil 
of lavender (all the parts by weight). Mix 
the mass in a druggist’s mortar, and rub smooth ; 
then add turpentine enough to reduce it to the 
proper consistency. 

ELASTIC VARNISH. 

Dissolve ^ pound of gum caoutchouc in ether, 
and when thoroughly cut, add -J- pound each of 
linseed oil and spirits of turpentine ; boil over a 
slow fire until the mixture becomes clear, strain 
it, and when cold it is ready for use. To harden 
it and make it dry quicker, use one half the quan¬ 
tity of gum caoutchouc, and substitute the best 
gum copal for the remainder. 

GERMAN LEATHER VARNISH. 

Pulverize a quantity of the best copal gum, and 
add enough turpentine to moisten it; place it in a 
glazed vessel, and allow it to stand over a moder¬ 
ate fire until the gum is thoroughly dissolved, 
which will require about ten hours. Next take 
double the quantity of linseed oil that there is 
of the gum and turpentine combined, and heat 
it; when nearly to a boil, pour in the dissolved 
gum, and allow it to remain over the fire until 
it has reached as high a degree of temperature 
as it will bear with safety, stirring it all the 
while ; then remove from the fire, and when it 
has cooled a little, thin with spirits of turpen¬ 
tine until the proper consistency is reached, 


VARNISHES. 


313 

strain through a fine cloth, bottle it, and set it 
in the sun to ripen. This is an excellent var¬ 
nish for horse collars. If used upon those that 
have lost their color, a little bone black should 
be added. 


LACK VARNISH BALLS. 

Melt together 2 ounces of white wax and 6 
ounces of beef tallow ; add £ pint of turpentine, 8 
ounces of ivory black, 2 ounces of Prussian blue 
ground in linseed oil, and allow the mass to 
boil for about five minutes ; then remove it from 
the fire and add 4 ounces of shellac varnish, 
stir the mass until cool, and roll into balls. 

BLACK VARNISH. 

Pulverize and mix together ij- parts of mastic, 
2\ parts of shellac, 2|- parts of dragon’s blood, 
and 2 parts of the best bone black; heat i-J parts 
of turpentine and 10 parts of alcohol, pour them 
over the gums, place the whole over a moderate 
fire, and boil until the latter are thoroughly dis¬ 
solved. 

WATERPROOF VARNISH. 

Pulverize 1 pound of shellac, and put it into a 
bottle with a sufficient quantity of alcohol to 
cover the gum ; cork the bottle tightly, and keep 
it in a warm place until the gum is dissolved. 
To a quart of the liquid add 1 ounce of ivory 
black and \ ounce of gum camphor dissolved in 
alcohol. Apply with a varnish brush. If too 
thick to work well, thin with alcohol. 


314 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual. 


BLACK VARNISH FOR JAPANNED WORK. 

Dissolve 2 pounds of asphaltum in i pint of 
boiled linseed oil; heat in an iron pot until tho¬ 
roughly fused, then remove from the fire, and, 
when cooled off a little, add 2 quarts of spirits of 
turpentine, and stir until cold. Apply with a brush. 
This makes an excellent japan for retouching 
japanned mountings, seats, etc., that have been 
injured by the japan scaling off. 

CHEAP SHELLAC VARNISH. 

Dissolve asphaltum in turpentine, using no 
more of the latter than is absolutely necessary ; 
add a small quantity of bone black and enough 
shellac varnish to reduce it so that it can be 
applied with a brush. Spread it very thinly. 

ELASTIC VARNISH. 

Equal parts of gum caoutchouc and copal, the 
former dissolved in ether, heated in a vessel until 
thoroughly dissolved, with enough linseed oil 
added while hot to reduce it to the proper con¬ 
sistency, makes an elastic varnish well suited for 
finishing collars. 


POLISHES. 

FRENCH POLISH. 

Beat 5 pounds of stearin out into thin sheets 
with a wooden mallet, and mix with 7 pounds of 
oil of turpentine, after which subject the mass to 


POLISHES. 


315 


a water bath, and heat up; when hot, add jounce 
of ivory or bone black, stirring well to prevent 
crystallization. To cool it off, it should be emp¬ 
tied into another vessel and stirred until cold. 
To use, warm it until it is reduced to a liquid 
state, and apply in small quantities with a cloth; 
afterward rub it well with a piece of silk or linen 
cloth to bring up the polish. 

POLISH FOR PATENT LEATHER. 

Mix together the whites of two eggs, 1 tea¬ 
spoonful of spirits of wine, 1 ounce of sugar, and 
as much finely pulverized ivory black as may be 
required to produce the necessary shade of black. 
Apply with a sponge, and polish with a piece of 
silk. 

WAX POLISH. 

Melt together 1 pound of white wax, 1 pound 
of crown soap, 5 ounces of ivory black, 1 ounce 
of indigo, and pint of nut oil; dissolve over a 
slow fire, stir until cool, and turn into small 
moulds. 


LIQUID POLISH. 

Melt 2 pounds of wax, and add \ pound of 
washed and well dried litharge by screening it 
through a fine sieve ; then add 6 ounces of ivory 
black, and stir until cool, but not cold; add 
enough turpentine to reduce it to a thin paste, 
after which add a little birch or other essential 
oil to prevent it from souring. 


31 6 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

GERMAN LEATHER POLISH. 

Soften i part of white glue in water, add 3 
parts of crown soap, and heat the w’hole over a 
slow fire until the glue is thoroughly dissolved; 
moisten 3 parts of bone black with vinegar, and 
mix it with 1 part of wheat starch beat smooth 
in cold water; mix the whole, and allow it to 
stand over a slow fire for half an hour, stirring it 
all the time, then turn it into another kettle and 
stir until it is cold. To use, dissolve a small 
quantity in sour beer or vinegar, and apply with 
a brush, spreading it as thinly as possible. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES FOR THE WORKSHOP 
AND HARNESS ROOM. 


TO CLEAN MOULDY LEATHERS. 



EMOVE the surface mould with a dry cloth, 


XV and with another cloth apply pyroligneous 
acid. Leather that has been badly moulded can 
be restored in this way. 


TO PROTECT HARNESS FROM RATS. 


Apply a plentiful coat of castor oil. If the 
harness is to be used, add tallow in the propor¬ 
tions of about one third of the latter to two 
thirds oil. 


WATERPROOF OIL, 


Take of lard oil ioo parts, paraffin 50 parts, 
beeswax 5 parts ; heat the oil over a slow fire, 
and when hot add the paraffin and wax; allow 
the whole to remain over the fire until the latter 
articles are melted, and add a few drops of oil of 
sassafras or other essential oil to preserve it. 


3 1 8 THE HARNESS MAKERS’ ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 


CROWN SOAP. 

This soap, so much used by stablemen for clean¬ 
ing harness, is made of whale or cod oil, lye of 
potassa, and a small quantity of tallow. The oil 
gives to the soap a dark brown color, the tallow 
forming white granulations. This is simply the 
Scotch softsoap; it can be produced at a price 
far below that asked for the imuorted article. 

BELGIUM BURNISHING POWDER. 

Mix together i pound of fine chalk, 3 ounces of 
pipe clay, 2 ounces of dry white lead, f of an 
ounce of carbonate of magnesia, and f of an 
ounce of rouge. 

POWDER I'OR CLEANING SILVER. 

Mix together 1 ounce of fine chalk, 2 ounces of 
cream of tartar, 1 ounce of rotten stone, 1 ounce 
of red lead, and $ ounce of alum, and pulverize 
thoroughly in a mortar. Wet the mixture and 
rub it on the silver, and, when dry, rub off with 
a dry flannel, or clean with a small brush. 

POWDER FOR CLEANING BRASS MOUNTINGS. 

Make a paste of equal parts of sulphur and 
chalk, with sufficient vinegar to reduce it to the 
proper consistency. Apply it to the metal while 
moist, allow it to dry on, and rub with chamois 
skin. For ornaments or engraved work, clean 
with a brush. 


MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 


3 r 9 


Another process, and one that gives to the 
brass a very brilliant color, is to make a wash of 
alum boiled in strong lye, in the proportion of i 
ounce of alum to i pint of the latter. Wash the 
brass with this mixture, and afterward rub with 
shammy and tripoli. 

A weak solution of ammonia in water makes an 
excellent wash for cleaning tarnished silver 
plate. Apply it with a rag, dry with a piece of 
shammy, and afterward rub with a piece of 
shammy and a very small quantity of jewelers’ 
rouge. 

PREPARED CHALK. 

Pulverize chalk thoroughly*, and mix with dis¬ 
tilled water in the proportion of 2 pounds to the 
gallon ; stir well, and then allow it to stand about 
two minutes, during which time the gritty mat¬ 
ter will have settled to the bottom ; then pour 
the chalky water into another vessel, being care¬ 
ful not to disturb the sediment, and allow the 
fine chalk to settle to the bottom ; pour off the 
water, and place the chalk in a warm oven to dry. 
This is an excellent powder for restoring silver, 
and it is also useful as a base for other polishing 
powders. 

Spanish whiting treated in the same manner, 
with a small quantity of jewelers’ rouge added, 
makes a powder that is a little sharper than the 
prepared chalk, and which is well adapted to 
cleaning polished steel articles. 

A third powder, and one that is still sharper 


320 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

than either of the above, is made of rotten stone 
treated in the same manner as the chalk. The 
addition of bone black to any of these powders 
will prevent their discoloring the leather. 

TO PREVENT STEEL BITS FROM RUSTING. 

Polished steel bits, chains, etc., whether in 
packages or in showcases, may be preserved from 
rust by dusting them over with quicklime. 
Those in use should be placed in a box nearly 
filled with thoroughly pulverized slaked lime im¬ 
mediately after being removed from the horse. 
The lime absorbs the moisture, and thus prevents 
rust. Before using, rub well with a woolen cloth. 
Polished steel, when covered with red rust, may 
be cleaned as follows : Cover the article with oil, 
and rub it with a woolen cloth to remove the 
lighter portion of the rust, after which apply an¬ 
other coat of oil, and allow it to remain un¬ 
disturbed for two or three hours, then clean off 
with whiting and a woolen cloth. If the rust has 
been upon the steel sufficiently long to have eaten 
into the metal, the surface can be restored only 
by the use of the emery belt or wheel. 

TO CLEAN RUBBER COVERED MOUNTINGS. 

Rub the covered as well as the metallic parts 
with a shammy and a little tripoli, and finish with 
a clean woolen cloth. 

TO CLEAN RUSSET LEATHER COVERED MOUNTINGS. 

Remove all stains and dirt by rubbing the 


MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 


321 


leather with a cloth and a little oxalic acid, and 
restore the color and finish by the use of salts of 
lemon, applied with a woolen cloth. Rub the 
leather until a good polish is produced. 

VARNISH FOR COLLARS. 

Digest shellac 12 parts, white turpentine 5 
parts, gum sandarac 2 parts, lampblack 1 part, 
spirits of turpentine and alcohol each 40 parts. 

TO CLEAN CELLULOID COVERED MOUNTINGS. 

Rub the covered parts with a woolen cloth and 
a little tripoli, and polish with a clean woolen 
rag. 

POLISHING LIQUID FOR OROIDE OR BRASS. 

Place 2 ounces of sulphuric acid in an earthen 
vessel, and add 1 quart of cold soft water; after 
the heat that is generated has passed off, add 1 
ounce each of tripoli and jewelers’ rouge. When 
well mixed, put in a bottle for use. 

TO CLEAN GILT MOUNTINGS. 

Gilt mountings unless carefully cleaned soon 
lose their lustre. They should not be rubbed; 
if slightly tarnished, wipe them off with a piece 
of canton flannel, or, what is better, remove them 
from the harness and wash in a solution of \ ounce 
of borax in 1 pound of water, and dry them with 
a soft linen rag. Their lustre may be improved 


322 THE HARNESS MAKERS* ILLUSTRATED MANUAL. 

by heating them a little and rubbing with a 
piece of canton flannel or a soft polishing brush. 

TO CLEAN RIDING SADDLES. 

If much soiled, wash the leather with a weak 
solution of oxalic acid and water, and, when dry, 
with the watery portion of beef blood. The 
latter can be preserved by adding a little carbolic 
acid, and keeping it in a bottle tightly corked. 

TO CLEAN STEEL BITS. 

Steel bits that are tarnished, but not rusty, can 
be cleaned with rotten stone, common hard soap, 
and a woolen cloth. 

TO FINISH THE EDGES OF RUSSET REINS. 

Use salts of tartar and water. If discolored, 
first remove the stain with a weak solution of ox¬ 
alic acid. 


TO CLEAN BROWN RIDING SADDLES. 

Saddles rnay be cleaned to look as well as new 
by the use of tepid water and crown soap ; if the 
latter can not be had, use pure castile soap. 

TO STAIN REIN LEATHER. 

A rich permanent brown can be imparted to 
rein leather by treating the hides, after they are 
tanned, to a bath in a liquor made from equal 
parts of pine and alder bark. The hides are 


MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 


325 


spread in a vat, with liquor enough to cover them, 
where they are allowed to remain one week; 
they are then removed, and fresh liquor is ap¬ 
plied ; by repeating this treatment three or four 
times, a very rich brown can be produced. 
Orange brown is produced by scraping the flesh 
side after the hides have been removed from the 
vats for the last time, and sprinkling them on the 
scraped side with pulverized alum. As soon as 
each one is sprinkled with the alum, it is laid in 
another vat, one upon the other, and allowed to 
remain twenty-four hours ; they are then moisten¬ 
ed with the alum liquor in the bottom of the vat, 
and laid upon the beam and well worked, after 
which they are rubbed with salt and alum, and 
rolled up and allowed to remain undisturbed for 
twenty-four hours; this salting is repeated three 
times, after which the hides are stretched length¬ 
wise and dried; they are then boarded and 
worked soft, and treated to a coat of hog's lard 
and train oil on the flesh side ; in about two days 
they are again boarded, and worked off with a 
glass slicker. This leather has a fine grain, and 
retains its softness for a long time. 


SMEARY GREASE FOR RUSSET LEATHER. 

Mix together 1 part of palm oil and 3 parts of 
common soap, and heat up to ioo°; then add 4 
parts of oleic acid and if parts of tanning solu¬ 
tion containing at least T y part of tannic acid (all 
parts by weight), and stir until cold. This is 


324 THE harness makers’ illustrated manual. 


recommended as a valuable grease for russet 
leather, and as a preventive of gumming. 

TO separate sides of patent leather. 

Patent and enameled leather will, if the glazed 
sides are placed together in warm weather, be¬ 
come stuck together, and, unless carefully sep¬ 
arated, the leather will be spoiled. The simplest 
and best way to separate sides is to place them 
in a drying or other hot room; when hot, they 
can be taken apart without injury to the glazed 
or enameled surface. If a drying room is not 
accessible, lay the sides on a tin roof on a hot 
day, and they will soon become heated sufficient¬ 
ly to allow their being separated without injury. 
Any attempt to separate without heating to a 
high degree will prove a failure. 

TO CURRY RUSSET LEATHER 

The hide to be curried is placed upon a table, 
and a warm iron is rubbed over the flesh side; it 
is then turned over, and the grain side is moisten¬ 
ed with water and rubbed with a copper slicker 
until it is nearly dry, after which coloring mat¬ 
ter, made of Brazilwood and 3’ellow berries, is 
applied to the grain, and it is once more rubbed 
with the slicker; it is then spread out to dry, 
and the final finish is given by rubbing the grain 
with a glass slicker. This produces a very fine 
grade of leather for riding bridles, russet reins, 
etc. 


MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 


325 


TO COLOR EDGES OF SADDLE FLAPS. 

Use a strong solution of soda, apply it to the 
freshly cut edges, and, when nearly dry, rub with 
a woolen rag until a good polish is produced. 

HARNESS OIL. 

An excellent oil for team and farm harness is 
made of beef tallow and neat’s-foot oil, as follows : 
Melt 3 pounds of pure tallow, but do not heat it 
up to a boil; then pour in gradually 1 pound of 
neat’s-foot oil, and stir until the mass is cold ; 
if properly stirred, the two articles will become 
thoroughly amalgamated, and the grease will be 
smooth and soft; if not well stirred, the tallow 
will granulate and show fine white specks when 
cold. The addition of a little bone black will im¬ 
prove this oil for general use. 





INDEX. 


Belgium Burnishing Powder 

Bitting Harness.. 

Bits . 

Buckles. 

Buying Leather. 


B 


Care of Harness. 

Celluloid Mountings, to Clean ... . ... 

Cleaning Brass. . 

Coach an I Wagon Bridles. 

Coloring Edges. 

Crown Soap . 

Currying Russet Leather. 

Cutting Harness . 

Cuttings for Harness. 

Adjustable Tree. 

Bitting. 

Breast Collar, Single... 

Cart. 

Double Road... 

English Four-in-hand. 

Express. 

Express, Heavy. 

Ha me Collar. 

Heavy Coupe. 

Long Tug Coach. 

Long Tug Farm. . 

Long Tug Team. 

Mule. . . 

Pennsylvania Wagon . 

Road. Single. 

Short Tug Coach . . 

Short Tug Butt Chain. 

Stage. 

Tandem. 

T rack.. 

Wagon. 

G 

Gilt Mountings, to Clean. 

Grease for Russet Leather. 

H 

Halters. 

Harness Leather. 

Harness Loops. 

Harness Mountings. 

Harness Oil. 

Horse Boots . 

L 

Leather, Blacking and Stains. 

Black, Aniline. 

Ball. 

Crown Soap. 

Finishing . 

Flesh. 

German . 

Hatter*’... 

• Leather Mountings. 

Liebig’s... . 


TAGE 

3> 8 

2S8 

281 

271 

37 


. . 2q6 

.. 321 

.. 318 

.. 181 

• ■ 325 

•• 3'7 

... 324 

•• 45 

64-104 

94 

100 

68 

102 

74 

80 

84 

8 o 

70 

72 

78 

90 

83 

103 
96 
66 
76 

104 
98 
8a 
64 

92 


321 

323 


. 205 

. 21 

. 161 

. 249 

• 325 

. 224 


302 

307 

303 

306 

306 

308 
306 

3°3 

308 

305 



























































INDEX 


Liquid. 

I .ogwoud. 

Patent . 

Patent Leather. 

Restoring. 

Vinegar. 

Waterproof. 

Stains, Brown. 

Crimson. 

Orange Yellow. 

Red. 

Yellow. 

Yellow-Red. 

Varnishes, Black . 

Black Ball. 

Collar . 

Elastic. 

German Leather. 

Shellac. 

Waterproof. 

Polishes, French. 

German. 

Liquid. 

Patent Leather. 

Wax. 

1 f 

Making, Breast Collar Harness. 

Gig Saddles. 

Ornament d Tru k Harness. 

Pads, Coach . 

Soft. 

Plain Hard. 

Plain.. 

Team Harness. 

Truck Harness . 

Measuring for Harness. . 

Miscellaneous Recipes. 

Mouldy Leather, to Clean.. 


r.\GF. 


30 j 
302 
3°5 
3°7 
3°7 
302 

3°3 

3 10 

3 11 
3°7 
3 1J 
3°) 
3°9 


3'3 
3'3 
321 
312 
312 
3 l 1 
3*3 
30 
316 

30 


. 3'5 

• y .♦. 315 

in 


139 

136 

09 

x 53 

136 

159 

128 


122 
53 
30 
3 1 7 


P 

Patent Leather . 

Patent Leather, to Separate. 

Prepared Chalk. 

Preparing Leather for the Fitter. 

Prevent Steel from Rusting. 

Polishing Liquid . 

Polishing Powders . 

Powder for Cleaning Silver. 

B 

Rein Leather. 

Repairing Harness.. 

Riding Bridles. 

Riding Saddles, to Clean. 

Round Reins. 

Rubber Covered Mountings to Clean.... 

Russet Leather. 

Russet Leather Mountings, to Clean... . 

•S 

Stitching Harness. 


Trimmings.... 

w^yc 


T 

W 




40 

324 

319 

53 


320 

321 
3*3 
3 l8 


322 

240 

197 

322 

x 33 

320 

33 

3° 


16S 


105-m 





















































































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